NCIS: SEASON NINE
by LadyJenDragon
Summary: Under the able and uncompromising command of Special Agent Gibbs along with his highly skilled team face new mysteries and new enemies in the continuation of the hit show. New characters and more fun ensues. Welcome to my version of NCIS.
1. Episode 1: Murder by Proxy Part 1

**NCIS Season 9**

**Episode 9.1.1**

**Murder by Proxy**

**Part One**

**By: Lady JenDragon**

**Disclaimer: **We know the drill. I do not own NCIS or characters created for the show. Now that that's out of the way, I do declare my own characters as MINE, MINE, MINE!

**Author's Notes: **A huge fan of NCIS for sometime now. I have all 7 seasons on DVD now. AH! My psychosis is complete! So with that in mind, I present **MY SEASON NINE of NCIS**.

Keep in mind this first EPISODE ignores anything that might happen in Season 8. I will try to incorporate information and new characters introduced in Season 8 along the way. However I wish to create my own characters as well. Each episode is divided into 3 sections with individual chapters. Also: I had to reload the chapters since I found loads of errors. I would've done this sooner but my mother just passed away from cancer.

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**MURDER BY PROXY**

**PART ONE**

**Chapter One**

The forest did not appear as scary last night. George Bison, a first year at Waverly University, was on the prowl of becoming the first in his family to join a fraternity. Most of his friends were already members of other fraternities but the Alpha Beta Ki's were considered the fraternity of fraternities.

Which led to his current predicament. The young man walked along the trail he recognized would lead him out of this hellhole. The night did not bode well for his quest to become a fraternity member. The forest appeared the same as the last quarter mile. He felt dazed and a bit hung over. Those four beers last night were probably not a good idea either.

"It was just a camping trip." He reasoned staggering down the trail.

Dressed in khaki shorts, gym shoes, white socks and black t-shirt, he felt cold and hungry. He hoped there would be joggers on the main trail leading towards the university. His two pals, Mark Davidson and Allen Katz walked from campus last night to the campsite. Not an official campsite but many of the students used it often enough.

He swished his hair anxiously finding dried leaves and small braches littering his hair.

"Come on!" He yelled at the top of his lungs. "This ain't funny anymore!"

He paused hearing no answer not even a snicker. There was no breeze blowing this morning. He walked further down the trail deciding it was time to answer the call of nature.

"Where are you guys?" He tried one more time.

Hearing nothing, he pushed through some trees and bushes. More like staggered as he giggled despite the raging headache forming inside his skull. He tried to maintain a straight line but found it difficult to maintain. Losing his balance, he fell to his hands and knees crawling through more bushes just in front of him.

"Just a little privacy please." He demanded in a stooper.

The bushes were thicker than he recalled and the ground was wet and thick. It oozed through his fingers. Sticks and leaves stuck to his knees as he emerged through to the other side. He brushed off the debris from his hair, shirt and shoulders. Slowly getting to his feet he looked at his hands.

They were red and black with leaves and some kind of gook clinging to his skin. George staggered around to look at the bushes he just crawled through to find something round just barely covered by soil.

"What the…" George blinked rapidly as a minor thought popped in his head. "Blood?"

George hunkered down and brushed the dirt away from the dome-like artifact. It was too big to be a mushroom and too small to be a new tree stump. He dug into the earth uncovering…a skull.

George fell backwards away from the skull. The eyes stared directly at him. His scrambled backwards, pushing through leaves, branches and grass to get away. His hand grazed something hard and plastic that made him stop. Closing his hand around it, he pulled up a black cellphone from the ground.

He got to his feet as if he found the Holy Grail. Desperately, he turned it on to find enough juice still left in the battery. Something snapped under his foot. George froze at that moment.

He looked down to find five things sticking out from under his foot. Panic began to set it as he realized he was standing on a decaying human hand. His mouth gaped open as panic turned to shock and then turned back into panic. Logic sunk in finally and he decided to make a run for it.

**Chapter Two**

The third floor of NCIS Squad Room appeared business as usual when the doors of the elevator opened. Tony DiNozzo drank from his highly sugared coffee wearing a black suit, white shirt, red tie, and black shoes despising that another gloomy weekend was wasted in doors during a freak rainstorm. His bag hung securely on his shoulder. He pretended to need adjustment, hoisting it up, and letting drop in his hatred gloomy weekends. And yet another bright and sunny Monday morning loomed in front of him. He lamented silently walking towards his desk.

Tony threw his bag behind his desk to protest the end of another weekend. He slammed his coffee cup on the desk in agitation and plopped into his chair. He spun once in his chair to find some humor in the irony of his weekend only to find Agent David staring at him amused from behind her desk.

"Where's McGeek this morning?" Referring to McGee's absence.

Ziva David's hands were folded on her desk studying her fellow NCIS agent. She wore an army green shirt with white sweater, dark green field trousers, and dark brown hiking boots. She smiled at Tony knowing he would become curious about what she may or may not know. Tony lost his smile then and stood up abruptly.

"Don't have a home life?" He asked out of the blue.

"More than you it seems." Ziva glanced at McGee's desk.  
You always pay people to hang out with you?"

"Ha!" He threw his head back in a pretend laugh. "At least I don't wear guns for jewelry on a date."

Ziva stiffened as Agent Gibbs walked by and WHAM, slapped DiNozzo upside the back of the head in one elegant motion. Clearly he was used to doing this on a regular basis. Tony scrunched his face wincing from the pain.

"Ow, boss!"

Gibbs wore a beige coat with green polo shirt and white undershirt with dark gray trousers and brown boots. His usual coffee accessory was unphased by the maneuver in DiNozzo.

"I hear a crack like that again, DiNozzo, I'll move your desk in with Palmer." Gibbs walked around his desk, pulling open the right side drawer. "Let's get going you three."

Tony cringed again as the pain had yet to wear off. Ziva and Tony both frowned when McGee arrived at his desk from the laboratory.

"You're late." Tony stated.

"McGee's been here since seven." Gibbs replied. "Ziva you drive."

Tony silently cursed himself for saying anything about McGee's non-tardiness.

"What've we got?" Tim McGee asked standing at his desk late.

"Navy Seal in the woods." Gibbs paused to look at the junior agent. "McGee, call Ducky."

"On it." McGee immediately picked up the phone and hit speed dial.

"I'll the get the car." Ziva declared.

"I'll get the car." Tony insisted and added a hint of anger to 'car' despite Gibbs' orders that Ziva was driving.

Ziva smiled and jingled the keys between two fingers and replied. "It's okay, I've got it, Tony."

McGee slammed down the phone following Gibbs, Ziva and Tony making faces at one another on their way to the elevator.

**Chapter Three**

An NCIS truck, the NCIS coroner truck, one NCIS sedan, three sheriff's cars, and the park ranger vehicles were parked in a group along the wide trail along the Rock Creek trail.

"We would've been here already if I drove." Tony whined. "DC traffic is getting worse, I swear."

"You're unhappy cause you spent the weekend alone." McGee pointed out.

"I did not!" Tony denied vehemently. "I chose to watch movies and spend time at my home. Big difference."

"Alone." Ziva declared and walked off.

George Bison stood with two deputies making his statement and relinquishing the cellphone he used to call 911. McGee and Tony pulled out equipment from the back of their truck while Ziva grabbed the camera and began towards the crime scene clearly marked by yellow caution tape through the forest. Medical Examiner assistant, Jimmy Palmer and Dr. Mallard walked into the forest following a third deputy ahead of them.

"Let's see what we have Mr. Palmer." Ducky Mallard knew what to expect.

But his assistant seemed placated by hearing the words. Made him feel useful, Ducky surmised. Not that the lad was of no use. However, he preferred to be loose in the field and less stoic.

The caution tape led directly to crime scene.

McGee, Ziva and Tony arrived with the equipment to find Gibbs was already there marking locations of evidence to collect with large black on yellow marker numbers. The location was off the beaten path with little or no interference from humans.

They arrive at the bushes cut away and bagged for evidence that sits off to the side of the body. Gibbs walks up behind Dr. Mallard.

"My, my, nothing ever surprises me anymore." Ducky sighed deciding the best course of action.

It was clear the body was in pieces and spread around the immediate vicinity.

"I'm sure there's something you haven't seen yet, Duck." Gibbs walked up beside Ducky.

"That's what scares me, Jethro." Ducky sighed and decided to look at the bush where the skull remained where it was buried. "However, I believe those days are over, I'm afraid. What do we have here?"

Ducky knelt next to the decaying skull with minimal flesh remaining on the bones.

Gibbs showed Ducky the evidence. "Navy Seal, Captain James Bricker according to his dog tags. Looks like animal scavenging took care of most of him."

"We'll be looking for pieces." Ducky looked to Jimmy Palmer. "Help Tim, Ziva and Tony look for evidence, will you, Mr. Palmer?"

"Be glad to, doctor." Mr. Palmer went in search of McGee, the closest NCIS agent to him.

Tony and McGee walk around collecting evidence after Ziva photographed it and made a sketch of the area. Tony broke off from McGee and headed to Gibbs.

"Hey boss, the witness," He pulled out his notepad, "eh George Bison, claims he was lost in the woods when he found Captain Bricker. He went camping with friends who left him behind last night. Looks like a drunken party to me."

"Find his friends and verify." Gibbs replied evenly.

His eyes were fixed on finding more pieces judging from the stack of black on yellow tag numbers in his right hand. Gibbs moved away from Ducky and the skull.

"Ziva's on it already, boss." Tony turned to find McGee more than twenty feet from him.

Ziva glared at him as he passed. Tony smiled widely as he passed her and rejoined McGee.

"Time of death, Duck?" Gibbs called out.

"Don't rush me, Jethro." Ducky replied out loud. "Our Captain's been out here for some time judging from the amount of decay. However, I believe he was bound at the ankles and wrists when he met his demise. Reminds me of a case I was on fifteen years ago outside Seattle. A young petty officer met his demise in the forest and was found bound at the wrists and ankles behind his back. Poor fellow, he must've died in that…"

Gibbs walked back to Ducky. "Focus, Duck. Cause of death?"

"You always want what I can't provide, Jethro. The similarities just brought the memories to mind is all." Ducky glanced around the crime scene. "I won't know time of death for a while yet. There are no immediate indicators leading to a possible cause I can see. I need to get him back home to figure out what killed him."

Ducky leaned closer to the bushes finding remnants of the torso beneath the braches.

"It's a shame George Bison had to crawl through you." Ducky said grimly. "Who knows how much evidence he took with him. Don't worry lad. We'll find the bastard who did this to you.

Palmer returned to Ducky's side and stared then shook his head and smiled.

"I was able to scrape off as much as possible, doctor." Jimmy announced happily. "It seems Tony and Tim don't need my help."

"I noticed." Ducky smiled then.

Gibbs left the crime scene and began heading back towards the NCIS vehicles. Ziva tapped McGee and Tony collecting evidence.

"Is there something wrong with Gibbs?" Ziva asked concerned.

"When isn't there something wrong with Gibbs?" Tony squinted his eyes in the sunlight. "Man sees conspiracy behind everything these days."

**Chapter Four**

Ziva arrived back at her desk from the field having dropped the evidence off at Abby's Laboratory. Tony sat at his desk on the phone with someone named Denise discussing personnel issues. She glanced over at McGee tapping away at his computer.

"Thanks for your help." Tony set his phone down.

Gibbs took that moment to walk through the office towards his desk with a cup of hot coffee in his hand. Tony and Ziva stand at the same time waiting to report in. Gibbs appeared unhappy this morning even before they arrived at the crime scene. He sat at his desk and tapped at the keyboard slowly.

"Well?" He asked without looking at his team.

"It seems Captain Bricker was on sick leave out of San Diego." DiNozzo read from his notes. "He was here visiting a friend for a while."

"Sick leave?" Gibbs glanced at DiNozzo and returned to his computer.

"Been off for more than two months." Tony glared at Ziva while he spoke. "Had surgery for an injury to his right leg during his last mission. The mission's classified of course. Surgery was immediately afterwards. He wasn't due back in San Diego until late next month.

Ziva cut in. "His sister is on her way from Seattle to identify and claim any personal affects. Civilian, never married, and has three degrees. She has two bachelor's degrees in Biology and Chemistry, and a Masters in Electrical Engineering."

"Impressive." Gibbs replied quietly.

"Navy usually moves fast to notify of next of kin, boss." DiNozzo informed the team. "They already called her."

Gibbs glared at DiNozzo.

"Right…" Tony shrunk away to let someone else have the floor.

"It appears she was planning on coming out here anyway." Ziva glanced at the print out she mad. "Maybe to visit the brother at the friend's house? The airline reservations were made more than a week ago."

"Suspicious." Tony folded his arms, pinching his chin with his right thumb and index finger while attempting to appear thinking.

"Agreed." Gibbs responded. "When she gets here, pick her up and bring her in."

Ziva nodded and continued. "Captain Bricker was visiting one Lt. Derek Martens stationed here at Norfolk. He lives off base. Lt. Martens is also missing, almost three weeks before Bricker turned up dead. According to the missing persons report they've been friends since training."

McGee spoke up to add to the conversation. "Martens and Bricker called each other a lot over the last nine months. There must be over a hundred calls back and forth between them. Thousands of text messages as well."

"Where was Martens stationed before Norfolk?" Gibbs stood up.

"Uh…San Diego, boss." McGee squinted at his screen. "He's a systems analyst for UAVs pre-flight program. He got transferred two months ago and was declared UA a week ago."

"Strange to declare a missing soldier UA already." Tony looked to McGee. "Usually it takes a month first."

"How long has Captain Bricker been here?" Ziva asked curious.

"About a month according to airline records." McGee tapped away the keyboard. "Strange, according to the missing persons report, Bricker made friends with the neighbors, the Solis'. There's a lengthy interview with them in the file."

"Now he's dead and his friend's missing." Tony pointed out.

"Anyone file a missing persons on Captain Bricker?" Gibbs wanted to know.

"I don't see anything in his file." McGee frowned. "His sister hasn't filed anything with local authorities."

"Something's not right." Gibbs stared at his desk.

Gibbs left his desk with coffee in hand.

"Where we going, boss?" Tony got out of the way.

"To the friend's house to see what they didn't find when Martens first went missing." Gibbs ignored DiNozzo's innuendo to tag along. "McGee you're with me. DiNozzo check on Bricker's service record and talk to his CO. Ziva, find out about his sister."

Tony raised his hand.

"Shouldn't I find his sister, boss?" DiNozzo smiled widely. "I mean…I am…"

Gibbs stopped, turned and glared at DiNozzo. He took a drink from his coffee. Tony cringed slightly then composed himself.

"All you're going to find is my hand upside your head." Gibbs replied. "Move it, DiNozzo!"

Tony's eyes moved back and forth realizing he did not know what he was supposed to do next. Gibbs never mentioned a task or gave him a demand.

"Right boss." Tony pointed his finger upwards and nodded.

McGee smiled at Tony as he passed following Gibbs to the elevator.

**Chapter Five**

Gibbs and McGee arrived in front of a small box-shaped house painted white on a quiet residential street belonging to Lieutenant Derek Martens. The exterior appeared unassuming and boring with modern landscaping and brown grass. Clearly, the worst house on the block belonged to the single guy.

McGee got out of the passenger side, Gibbs the drivers side of the car. They slowly walked towards the front door. McGee followed Gibbs' lead, looking at everything.

"Doesn't look like much." McGee said finally after his initial sweep.

"Never does." Gibbs sighed.

They found the front door locked. Gibbs nodded towards McGee, and then disappeared around the side of the house. McGee pressed the doorbell waiting for someone to answer. Or at least make it appear that way to the neighbors.

He recognized they were being watched from the time they pulled to the curb. Strange, most neighborhoods did not case unusual or foreign vehicles parked along the curb in their community. Most people never bothered to watch for suspicious individuals staking out residents.

Tim felt like a germ under a microscope. He pretended to knock then looked in the window. A few minutes later, Gibbs opened the front door to McGee.

"Come in." Gibbs turned from the door. "You have the warrant?"

McGee pulled the warrant out from an inside pocket then shoved it back in his inner pocket. Gibbs and McGee entered the front living room. Nothing special, two sofas faced one another in front of a large unused fireplace. A coffee table was placed between the sofas with striped drapes hanging at the large picture window.

"Doesn't look like a bachelor lives here to me." McGee commented.

"Feels like a woman's touch." Gibbs agreed.

"There's no TV in here." McGee nodded. "What man doesn't have a big screen TV who watches sports?"

Gibbs smiled noting the Colts football jersey laid over the arm of the sofa in front of the window. It was the only thing that appeared out of place.

McGee donned a pair of gloves and began sorting through personal belongings and a stack of mail sitting on the round table next to the front door. Clearly it was used for keys and mail. McGee frowned suspicious that the mail was on the table and not lying on the floor when it was pushed through the mail slot.

The house appeared normal from the outside. The inside proved no one lived here in several weeks. Dust collected on every surface. Martens relatives left the house untouched until they got final word that something sinister happened to their brother. The contents were left in place.

"Looks clean." McGee noted nothing held a fingerprint.

"Too clean." Gibbs commented.

His eyes slowly scanned the bookshelves against the wall heading into the kitchen. He left McGee in the living room and surveyed the cabinets, counter and appliances in a small square shape of the kitchen. Gibbs finds the white kitchen remarkably clean and nothing out of place.

There was plenty of counter space to cook and prepare meals. The stove appeared used and the refrigerator was on. There was a microwave set on the counter in the back corner to minimize impact. McGee followed Gibbs into the kitchen.

McGee played with his phone staring at the screen in a constant frown. "According to the missing persons report Derek Martens never made it to work at 0600 on the 17th of last month."

"Who reported him missing?" Gibbs asked disappearing into the hall leading to the bedrooms.

"Captain Bricker actually." McGee called out. "He was pretty adamant that something happened to his friend but it turns out the Navy didn't do much to find Martens. He got pretty hostile with the investigator in charge."

"Nothing on Martens?" Gibbs returned from the bedrooms.

"No activity on any of his accounts, ATM card, or checking accounts since his disappearance." McGee touched the screen several times. "The house is registered under him and it's paid off. Bought it two months ago using inheritance money from his grandmother. He has two brothers serving in Iraq right now, different units. Explains why no one's been here to take care of thins. No sisters."

"What about Bricker?" Gibbs could find nothing out of the ordinary except Lt. Derek Martens was missing.

"Captain Bricker shares his accounts with the sister, Salem, currently on her way here." McGee smiled. "Kinda cute. Uh…sorry, boss. Her activity has been relatively normal. She's been in Seattle for almost a month now on business."

Gibbs appeared deep in thought.

"What you thinking, boss?" McGee frowned.

"Bricker came to help Martens with something." Gibbs decided finally.

"Wh…what makes you say that?"

Gibbs looked to McGee. "I wouldn't come for a long visit unless my friend asked me to come, Tim. Get what you can from the house. Anything suspicious, large or small, bag and tag it. Take it to Abby for processing. Look for anything Martens might have been investigating."

"He wasn't an investigator…ah." McGee paused at Gibbs staring at him. "I see. I'll get right on that, boss."

Gibbs returned to the bedrooms looking for clues.

TO BE CONTINUED…


	2. Episode 1: Murder by Proxy Part 2

**NCIS Season 9**

**Episode 9.1.2**

**Murder by Proxy**

**Part One**

**By: Lady JenDragon**

**Disclaimer: **I do not own NCIS or characters created for the show.

**Author's Notes: **

1) To answer a question posed in the review section (always forget names – not intended to insult anyone, I just plain forget): No, I don't write for the show. I WISH.

2) Another question sent to me via personal message: **Why would you create your own season of NCIS? ** Seriously, my creativity went wild. Bold? Perhaps. Audacious? Hope so. Arrogant? Maybe but not intended. Obsessed? Probably but I'll deny it anyway.

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**ONE**

**PART TWO  
**

**Chapter Six**

Ducky and Jimmy Palmer continued to work on the dissected, eaten, and piece-meal decaying Captain Bricker. His remains were laid out on the more central table in autopsy while they pieced where bones were still missing.

"I find it strange that you were found at all, my friend." Ducky leaned over the skull at the head of the table.

"Strange, Dr. Mallard?" Jimmy frowned.

Ducky held up his finger. "If George Bison, our witness, never pushed through those bushes, I doubt we'd have ever found Captain Bricker at all."

Jimmy smiled. "So, you think he was hidden on purpose then?"

Ducky spoke in a quiet tone. "What's more disturbing is that our friend here was never meant to be found. His killer intended to hide him from everyone. Probably because it would cast some shadow on Captain Bricker and unravel some mystery the killer was hiding. I think it's safe to say that the person who did this to Captain Bricker doesn't want to be found."

"But the drunken college student found him." Jimmy pointed out missing the obvious point

"Accidentally, on purpose." Ducky replied evenly.

The doors to the morgue slid open. Gibbs walked in holding his coffee. One would think it almost part of the uniform for an NCIS agent.

"What've you got, Duck?" Gibbs walked to the end of the center examination table.

"I'm afraid…nothing at the moment." Ducky sighed. "All I can tell you is that his hands were tied behind his back before his ankles were tied and then attached to his hands by rope. There were partials of the rope remaining with the bones. No broken bones, no hairline fractures, not even a skull dent. No, our friend was killed by an indirect approach to murder."

"Poison?" Gibbs' first conclusion.

Ducky shrugged. "Or a toxin. I'm surprised there were no fractures associated with the bindings when he was bound."

"Was he bound after he was dead?" Gibbs wanted to know.

"Possibly." Ducky shrugged again. "Could be. Abby should have more for you. I'll keep looking in the mean time."

Gibbs left the morgue without the answers he hoped to have before arriving at Abby's laboratory.

**Chapter Seven**

Abby stared at her computer screen appearing stumped. Her eyes glared hard at the unknown chemical composition glaring at her back. She wore a black t-shirt with a skull painted in white on the front, dark skirt with platform boots with silver tipped toes. Her legs were covered in fishnet stockings and her hair pulled into two pigtails on either side of her head.

"What are you?" She asked with a slight whine to her tone.

Gibbs walked into the lab and walked behind Abby. He reached around and set the Caf-Pow cup in front of the keyboard. She accepted it gladly placing both hands around the plastic cup and took a long drink from the straw.

"What is it?" Gibbs asked with a smile on the right side of his lips.

Abby set the cup down and tapped on her keyboard eagerly. She stopped and pointed her right index finger towards the ceiling.

"My question exactly." Abby began. "I can't identify this substance, Gibbs. I've stared at it for an hour now."

"From Bricker?" He frowned slightly.

"Right on the first guess, Gibster!" Abby was trying to avoid appearing stumped and failed using her hands as a visual aid to her inner turmoil. "It was in his tissues…or what was left of them anyway. I thought it was an antibiotic from his surgery. Or maybe a painkiller but it doesn't have any of the usual suspects in the formula."

"Toxin?" He offered.

Abby sighed. "I already scanned for toxins, Gibbs. Not even exotic. And it's not a poison either. It acts more like an antibiotic but its not one I've seen before."

"Homemade?" Gibbs smiled. "You're working too hard. What else have you got?"

Abby shrugged. "Probably homemade. Then we're looking for a chemist. Whatever this substance is, Captain Bricker had a whole lot of it in his system."

"How much?" Gibbs looked closer at the screen.

"Enough for an elephant is my guess." Abby smiled then. "If I can identify the type, I can tell you if it killed him or not."

"Keep working then." Gibbs kissed Abby at the temple. "Let me know when you have something else."

Gibbs turned to leave the laboratory in search of a new target when Abby grabbed his hand.

"Why do you always want to leave when I have more?" Abby queried. "Geez, like I'm slow or something!"

Gibbs rolled his eyes.

"Bugs found on Bricker show clear second generation growth and…"

"Get to the point." Gibbs wanted answers.

"According to the bugs, Bricker's been dead for almost two and a half weeks." Abby grimaced. "He went missing shortly after he arrived, reported his friend missing, then someone killed him within days."

Gibbs looked at Abby's dour expression. He nodded then turned and left the laboratory. He got what he came for at the moment.

**Chapter Eight**

McGee was the only agent at his desk tapping away at his computer keyboard. His fingers moved quickly over the keys without his eyes looking down. Gibbs arrived without warning from the lab, appearing next to McGee. McGee jolted almost falling out of his chair. Gibbs smirked at the shock on McGee's face.

"You okay, McGee?" Gibbs asked calmly.

"Uh…I'll be fine. You just scared me, boss." McGee went back to work.

"Do I always do that?"

His attention diverted, McGee did not hear the question and chose to go with "Ah…" Leaving it unanswered. He pointed towards the plasma to Gibbs. His boss turned towards the darkened screen.

"What else did you find at Martens?" Gibbs looked to the plasma.

McGee brought up a number of financial records. "Nothing out of the ordinary." He paused as a few documents flashed by followed by photos. "There wasn't much to bring back. Looks like the LEO's cleaned the place pretty good since Martens lived off base. I checked further into Bricker's phone records from San Diego." A copy of phone records flashes onto the screen. "They talked to each other three to four times a day. One Saturday, they talked for more than three hours. If they were investigating someone or something, there's no record of it written down anywhere. Nothing on the computer hard drive either."

Gibbs was not convinced. "If he were investigating something, Bricker wouldn't leave anything behind for someone to find it. A Seal knows to trust no one. Martens disappeared first then Bricker turns up dead three weeks later."

Tony entered the office wearing the same black suit with red tie and white shirt. His shoes were shiny black with his field bag and a single file in hand.

"Boss, Captain Bricker's service record's clean." Tony joined the crowd at the plasma. "No fights, no run-ins with police. All around a darn good soldier, I'd say. His CO in San Diego gave him sterling commendations and he's got the cleanest track record I've ever seen. No injuries till last his mission."

Ziva arrived at her desk looking disappointed.

"The sister, Salem Bricker, arrived an hour ago but I can't find her." Ziva sighed appearing rather annoyed. "I waited at the airport but someone picked her up already. I went to the Martens house to bring her in but she never showed up there. There's no reservations at any of the nearby hotels or in Martens neighborhood. And no rental car in her name was ever made or a car checked out."

"Check the airport surveillance tapes." Gibbs commanded. "See who she's got a ride from."

"Already did." Ziva nodded. "No one recalls seeing her on the flight. The surveillance tapes will arrive in an hour once the supervisor makes a copy of them." She paused and looked at Gibbs. "You think Salem Bricker knew we were waiting for her?"

"She's civilian." Tony stated. "How could she know?"

Gibbs cut in. "She got word this morning that her brother passed away, DiNozzo. She might have gotten a ride from a friend we haven't discovered yet." To DiNozzo. "Go find her."

"Should've seen that coming." Tony grimaced and went to get his bag.

Ziva glared at Tony mouthing 'I'm going to get the sister now' as he left for the elevator. Gibbs headed towards the elevator then.

McGee frowned. "Where to, boss?"

"Martens knew his neighbors." Gibbs held his coffee. "Let's pay them a visit. DiNozzo, McGee, you're with me. Ziva, find the sister."

"Right, boss." DiNozzo rolled his eyes at the elevator. "On your six." He added unenthusiastically.

McGee fumbled with his PDA before getting his gun and workbag. Ziva retrieved her bag and headed back out again.

**Chapter Nine**

The dark blue NCIS Charger pulled up in front of the house of Lt. Raul Solis. It appeared there was a large party taking place at the neighbor of Derek Martens. A number of families brought children and food walked towards the front door. The mood felt glum and sad as people in black milled into the front door of the house in small groups.

McGee frowned at the event. "I don't remember a party going on earlier, boss."

"They didn't have one then." Gibbs narrowed his eyes at the occasion. "Appears someone died."

Tony looked uncomfortable. "This brings back, many a painful memories."

"Of what exactly?" McGee asked. "You're birthday parties?"

"No, the DiNozzo family gatherings." Tony recalled with a smirk on his face. "Everyone was so stoic and anal in their suits and dressed. Until the alcohol was passed around in large quantities. Then it became such loud and boisterous affairs. Uncle Louie used to run around in his underwear every Christmas after a few drinks. Used to scare the neighbors."

McGee smiled. "Now I see where you get it from."

Gibbs smiled and cut the engine. He opened his door surveying the approaching families to the Solis residence. Tony sulked as he and McGee get out as well. The doors slammed shut in unison.

The NCIS group walked toward the front door with Gibbs in the lead closely followed by Tony and McGee.

At the front door, Gibbs was met by a number of women elegantly dressed for the sad occasion. The smell of perfume and flowers permeated the air. He blinked pushing back memories of being married. Gibbs was the first to enter the front foyer followed by McGee then Tony.

The main living room was full of people talking in small groups. Many of the women stopped to take notice of the three strange men in suits looking out of place. Several women made no attempt to hide their inner thoughts on Gibbs.

One woman walked forward in a short black dress clearly not for mourning the dead. Her blonde hair bounced as she walked. Her bosom nearly burst out of the dress. She wore pearls at her slender neck and a matching bracelet on her right wrist. Her shoes were three-inch heeled shiny and black.

"My, my, what do we have here?" She smiled as she stepped to the older man. "I'm Hannah Thompson."

Gibbs glanced at another military wife who joined Hannah Thompson. Clearly she did not want to be left out. He refrained from smiling sensing something odd about the party. They were watching him closely. Odd, it was not often that more than one woman paid him close attention as these women did.

"Ain't you just a fine man?" Said the second woman. "Carly Meyers."

Hannah elbowed the woman next to her. Carly Meyers was shorter than Hannah Thompson by three inches and wore a leopard print dress with black sweater and matching pumps. Her brown hair was worn long and left hanging natural. Her make-up was spot on perfect and she wore massive amounts of perfume.

"You'll have to forgive my sister." Hannah smiled widely. "She's visiting for a week."

"Are you available?" Carly asked Gibbs directly.

Gibbs smiled and ignored the question. Tony and McGee exchange a quick glance and smiled. Tony pointed to Gibbs from behind and motioned to Carly he was available. Gibbs turned suddenly to DiNozzo. Tony pretended he hurt his finger.

Gibbs returned his attention to the women standing in front of him. He flashed his NCIS credentials. "Special Agent Gibbs, DiNozzo, and McGee, NCIS."

McGee and Tony flashed their NCIS credentials.

"My husband's in Irag right now on a nine-month tint." She smiled. "Are you here about Martens?"

"I'm looking for Lt. Solis." Gibbs kept the question simple. "Is he here?"

Hannah and Carly both escorted the three NCIS agents through the crowd into the Living Room.

Two sofas faced one another in front of a large fireplace. Lt. Raul Solis and his wife Maria sat on either side of a young woman on the sofa facing the picture window. Across were a few marine wives watching the threesome with intense interest. The sofas highlight the large fireplace on the opposite wall.

"It must've been such a shock." Lt Raul Solis told his companion. "Word spread quickly once the news broke."

Gibbs noted the similarities of Martens house to the Solis house. His attention shifted to the woman between Mr. and Mrs. Solis sitting in jeans and red low cut t-shirt. She wore old gym shoes and white socks. Her hair was blonde with the tips dyed red. Her hazel eyes met Gibbs' then shifted to DiNozzo and McGee. She was Salem Bricker.

"Yes quite a shock." Salem played the role. "Thanks for being there for my brother. He talked of you often enough. You're generosity to a stranger is quite refreshing."

Gibbs felt impatient but was hampered by Hannah Thompson smiling widely and waving at someone across the room.

"Maria, there's some NCIS men here for you." Hannah introduced them. "Agent Gibbs, he's in charge. Agents DiNozzo and McGee."

Gibbs stepped forward and flashed his credentials again to the Solis's and Salem Bricker. McGee and Tony watched for reactions as they mimicked their boss flashing their credentials.

"We'd like a word with your husband." Gibbs started.

Lt. Solis got to his feet and smiled. "Anything to help."

He stood an inch shorter than Gibbs with broad shoulder, dark eyes, black hair and dark features. He wore a black suit, white shirt, gray tie, and black shoes but beneath all that he was pure military. He stood tall, back straight, and with his head held high.

Salem eyed Gibbs directly without smiling.

"Agent Gibbs, is this about Derek?" Maria Solis got to her feet.

A model woman, Maria Solis possessed grace and poise. She wore a black dress with matching silver pumps and minimal jewelry. Her black hair hung loose around her face. Her make up was perfect and she spoke with the air of a refined woman.

Gibbs continued to stare at Salem Bricker. She appeared unsure of his presence but he could tell she wanted to talk to him.

"No." Gibbs looked to Maria Solis. "Captain Bricker, a friend of Derek Martens was found this morning."

"I told my commander that Captain Bricker wouldn't just go off leaving his friend's house behind like that." Lt. Solis appeared genuine in his affirmation.

"You already know about Captain Bricker?" Gibbs queried.

"This is his sister, Salem." Maria placed a hand on Salem's shoulder.

Salem stood up and smiled. She was much shorter than Gibbs and the other two agents. For some reason, she was drawn to the older agent.

"Miss Bricker, we've been looking for you." Gibbs watched her face closely. "But then you knew that."

Salem glanced around the room at the crowd watching them. "Maria picked me up from the airport this morning. Isn't this amazing?" She paused slightly emotional. "Derek's neighbors got together to mourn my brother. They didn't know him that long."

"My condolences on your loss, Miss Bricker." Gibbs turned to Maria Solis. "My agents, McGee and DiNozzo, will ask you some questions about your relationship with Captain Bricker and Lt. Martens. Miss Bricker, may I please have a word with you? Some place private?"

Maria winked at Salem then Gibbs and smiled. "People are everywhere in here. I'd go next door to Derek's if I were you, Salem."

Gibbs shot a glance at DiNozzo and McGee. Both nodded as he walked back towards the front door with Salem Bricker.

**Chapter Ten**

Gibbs walked beside Salem Bricker. He occasionally stared at her trying to figure her out. She appeared unphased by his study of her. They walked towards the back door to Derek Martens house.

"Do you always stare at the people you're questioning Agent Gibbs?" Salem smiled slightly, hands in her pockets.

"Usually." Gibbs smiled and glanced elsewhere.

"Didn't' your mother teach you not to stare?" Salem replied. "Some women might get the wrong idea."

"That's why I have three ex-wives."

"Should've had only one mistress." Salem retorted watching Gibbs smiled at the joke. "Pretending to be a difficult man or just married to the job?"

"Paying attention, Miss Bricker?"

"My brother taught me to be more observant than the average person, Agent Gibbs. You pick up the rest when you need them. What did you want to know about James?"

"Your brother was helping Derek." Gibbs noticed the change in her eyes. "Do you know with what?"

"I'm afraid not." Salem glanced around. "I could feel something going on but James refused to discuss anything over the phone. He was more paranoid than usual the last few months." She leaned over and whispered. "Careful, the walls have ears around here."

Gibbs nodded then glanced at the Solis back window. Hannah Thompson and Carly Meyers stood watching him with gleams in their eyes. They smiled and waved at him.

**Chapter Eleven**

Salem entered Derek Martens kitchen first followed closely by Gibbs. She glanced out the door then shut it before continuing their conversation. Immediately she moved to the sink and turned on the water letting it run at high speed.

Gibbs knew what she was doing. "You're staying here?"

Salem folded her arms. "For the time being, yes. Since Derek's only missing, I figured it would be a good idea to watch his house for him. He knows me well enough. We've hung out enough times that he's more like family than friend." She leaned against the sink.

"Someone's listening?" Gibbs never thought to check for listening devices.

Salem shrugged. "Possibly. When I arrived, people here knew more about me than I cared them to know. A bit creepy that complete strangers were treating you like one of the crowd. James always limited whom he trusted when he first arrived."

"Did Lt. Martens talk to them about you and your brother?" Gibbs watched her face for reaction.

Salem shook her head. "Derek found the neighbors a bit too nosy. Along those lines, James it seemed never wanted to converse with me via phone when he called me from Derek's land line. Said he didn't trust something about the house."

"Bugged?" Gibbs pressed.

Salem looked directly into Gibbs eyes.

"Hard to say. I've found nothing in my sweeps." She noticed Gibbs expression. "I'm an electrical engineer, Agent Gibbs. I naturally go the paranoid route since James disappeared."

"How long ago since he vanished?" He asked evenly.

"More than a week, I think." Salem twisted her head towards the Solis house. "Maybe closer to three weeks. The listening device is more likely an external listening system pointed at the house. High tech. I've got no proof. But James was hesitant on the phone every time I tried to bring up sensitive subjects."

"Like?" Gibbs was suspicious.

"The neighbors, money, other's people's financials." Salem offered.

"Was he having money issues?"

Salem shrugged. "James wasn't an extravagant man."

"You have any ideas as to why he came to visit for so long?" Gibbs noted the change in her poise.

"It's not unusual for Derek and James to spend weeks together." Salem knew what he was after. "They always went off in high school for the weekend. James was forced on sick leave. He hated the idea of hanging around the house all day. Once he arrived, James got more paranoid than ever. The neighbors had something to do with his suspicions. I was coming to visit my brother and Derek then escort James back to San Diego when he was ready to return to duty."

"Do you know how James got his injury?" Gibbs listened intently.

"All you had to do was look at his injury to know he was hit with a high-powered rifle."

"You changed the dressings?"

"Everyday." Salem tilted her head to the side. "There was a sniper on his last mission. James jumped in front of his men to prevent more of them from dying. James told me to find someone to listen to me at NCIS if anything ever happened to him or Derek."

"What exactly do you do, Miss Bricker?"

"Finally you get to the point." Salem smiled. "I take care of James' house when he's away on missions. Even when I was at college I was ordered to watch his home. I was never allowed to stay in the dorms. James believed that as long as he was a Navy Seal, he would look out for my safety."

"You're not a little girl anymore." He pointed out.

Salem chuckled. "James never saw it that way. I was his kid sister and he insisted he take care of me. I did as he asked. It was better to not try reasoning with him. He worried I'd die at the hands of someone seeking revenge meant for him."

"Your brother thought he was being followed?"

"His constant paranoia, I'm afraid." Salem felt comfortable with Agent Gibbs. "He mentioned that someone could easily pick me off to get his attention. He was terrified if I ever died because of something he did. James hardly did things without reason. But he never let me down, Agent Gibbs. When he went missing, I knew something was off." She looked away from Gibbs.

"James' body's will be released in four days."

"Thank you, Agent Gibbs." Salem frowned then. "I figured if I hung around the neighbors till after the funeral, got to know everyone, I could learn more about what James and Derek were working on."

"You suspect foul play?"

"Derek disappeared first then James just three weeks later and now he's dead. What would you think?"

Gibbs crossed the floor and touched Salem's arm. She looked up at him and smiled slightly.

"Let me do my job."

Salem raised an eyebrow. "And if you can't?"

"I have a reputation for getting the truth." Gibbs informed her.

"I can tell." She looked into his eyes. "I have to admit, Hannah was right about you."

"Hannah?" Gibbs remembered the woman.

Salem smiled again. "Hannah Thompson, the first housewife you met next door. She thinks you're pretty cute with your blue eyes. I'd be careful around this neighborhood if I were you. I wouldn't want you to disappear too."

Gibbs smiled then laughed lightly.

**Chapter Twelve**

Gibbs got into the drivers seat with McGee in the back seat and Tony on the passenger side. His thoughts temporarily on Miss Bricker and her behavior, Gibbs notices McGee and DiNozzo appeared rather disturbed.

"What is it?" Gibbs asked finally.

"We…ah…just wanted to know how it went with Salem Bricker, boss." Tony avoided eye contact.

Gibbs tilted his head and looked at DiNozzo in the passenger seat.

"She suspects her brother of being involved with something." Gibbs narrowed his eyes slightly. "She didn't know what so we're going to find out. What else were you thinking, DiNozzo."

"Nothing, boss." Tony paused. "You just seemed…taken with the young lady."

Tony's head snapped forward followed by the 'slap' of Gibbs hand making contact with his head.

"Sorry." Tony breathed out. "Won't imply again."

"You do that, DiNozzo." Gibbs voice sounded authoritative.

"Find out, boss?" McGee asked from the back seat.

"Miss Bricker thinks her brother and Martens were up to something." Gibbs looked into the rearview mirror. "If Captain Bricker was investigating something or someone. Let's start looking at the neighbors. I want financials and their service records to start with. Anything hinkey, I want to know about it."

"Creepy if you ask me." Tony blatantly changed the subject. "Everyone of them I talked to about Captain Bricker knew everyone else's business. Women know way too much about men."

McGee added. "It was a little scary, boss."

Gibbs narrowed his eyes slightly in the rearview mirror.

"The housewives were protective of one another. The moment we got close to getting someone to open up, we were interrupted." McGee frowned. "They seemed almost professional at steering the conversation back to us."

Tony declared. "Like I said boss, that many housewives in one place is bad for any one man's mojo."

Gibbs turned the ignition and peeled away from the curb.

TO BE CONTINUED…


	3. Episode 1: Murder by Proxy Part 3

**NCIS Season 9**

**Episode 9.1.3**

**Murder by Proxy**

**Part One**

**By: Lady JenDragon**

**Disclaimer: **I do not own NCIS or characters created for the show. Now that that's out of the way, I do declare my own characters as MINE, MINE, MINE!

**Author's Notes:** Strange how life never goes the way you think it should.

* * *

**MURDER BY PROXY**

**PART THREE**

**Chapter Thirteen**

Maria Solis, Hannah Thompson and Carly Meyers sat around the kitchen table drinking champagne later that night. They wore their memorial dresses uncaring how it looked sipping from thin wine glasses at eight in the evening.

"Anything on the conversation with Gibbs and Salem?" Maria asked pleasantly.

Hannah responded. "They kept it light till they got into the house. She must've done the dishes while they were talking, I couldn't hear anything once they went inside."

"Should we watch Gibbs?" Carly wanted to know eagerly. "He is the agent in charge."

"No, he's well protected." Maria replied tersely. "We'll never be able to watch the investigation following him around. I bet he stays inside most of the time. They'll never give us any information."

"We should be kept informed of the progress." Hannah agreed. "We are the neighborhood watch. If someone was kidnapped, we'd know about it."

"Agreed." Maria continued. "Derek was our neighbor after all. We should know what's going on."

Maria drained her glass and set it on the table.

**Chapter Fourteen**

Gibbs entered to find Abby in a dour mood at her computer. Her music blared out of the stereo in the office next door. He walked over and turned it off. He paused then stopped in front of her desk while on his cellphone.

"I want a full run down on Salem Bricker, find everything." Gibbs ordered harshly. "Whatever you find, I want to know about it immediately, McGee."

Abby sat up at Gibb's conversation. He closed his cellphone pushing it into a pocket.

"I'm at a stand still, Gibbs." Abby reported in a gloomy mood.

"About?" He frowned.

"The chemicals in Captain Bricker." She sighed heavily. "It's the most unusual thing I've ever seen. It has properties that relate to Viagra and LSD. Which is not only dangerous but hard to break down molecularly."

Not to be daunted, Gibbs replied. "If anyone can figure it out you can, Abs."

Abby jumped up from her desk and skipped into her lab. Gibbs followed her hoping he struck a chord with her ability to give him the answers he needed. Abby always found a way.

She walked quickly to her computer screens and tapped on the keyboard. The images on the screen changed to several chemical formulas.

"No!" Abby spoke with finality. "I can't. Why you ask? I'm so glad you asked that question Agent Gibbs." She paused to bring up one chemical formula twisting and turning in blues, greens, yellows, and reds. "That's why."

"Why do I have to keep saying in English?" Gibbs asked quietly.

"Okay, fine, be that way." Abby narrowed her eyes grumpily. "What you're looking at is a partial chemical formula. The other part began to break down once its got into the human body immediately."

"So you can't identify the entire…thing?"

"Right on the first guess, Gibbs." Abby folded her arms defiantly. "You're getting better at this every time."

"Did Ducky get a cause of death yet?"

"According to him, almost a week ago based on the decay of the tissue." Abby shifted gears easily, tapping away on her keyboard and bringing up a photo. "But since our victim was buried, it helped inhibit decay as well so that threw off the timeline. Strange, I found the moisture in the soil to be very high compared to the surrounding soil around the dumpsite."

"They added moisture to speed up the decaying process?" Gibbs stared at the screen. "Could the partial chemical be part of the break down?"

"Right again, Gibbs!" Abby clapped. "So my initial estimate of two to three weeks ago is still good for time of death. Ducky thinks our mystery chemical also facilitated Captain Bricker's death. Another thing about this case that's bothering me, Gibbs, is lack of evidence. What's not cool is that I was only able to find some minor particulates of the forest on what little clothing there was. I am the master of finding. So imagine my surprise when I could find nothing useful. Am I losing my touch?"

"Just you're focus." Gibbs whispered near her.

"Ah, right, focus!" Abby smiled bleakly. "So the lack of evidence points to nothing conclusive as to where the Captain died. Ducky ruled out that he was buried where he was killed otherwise we'd have found more blood. Whoever disposed of him knew how to do that efficiently and leave little trace evidence."

"Nothing else?" Gibbs pressed.

"I'm still processing the smaller items." Abby felt better now that she talked to Gibbs. "However, no prints or tire tracks were left at the scene. No footprints were found going in or out that wasn't apart of the NCIS team and Sheriff's department."

"Keeping working on it." Gibbs turned when he paused.

Abby suddenly got excited. She appeared expecting something from him. Gibbs faced her completely, lifting his eyebrows as a queue to begin whatever she wanted to know from him.

"So, you found Salem Bricker?" Abby smiled widely. "Tony tells me she's cute and that you made mooney eyes at her."

"DiNozzo needs to focus on his job." Gibbs glared at Abby. "She believes her brother and his friend found something that could be the reason they were kidnapped and her brother killed."

"Ooh!" Abby bounced up and down. "A conspiracy!"

Gibbs rolled his eyes. "Abby, there's no proof of anything yet."

"'Yet' being the operative word, oh great silver fox." Abby paused knowing he disliked the use of those descriptors before. "Give me a chance to hope here Gibbs. I need something to do while I'm waiting for my baby to finish."

Gibbs left the laboratory.

Abby watch him leave. "Awe…you did like her, Gibbs."

**Chapter Fifteen**

Ziva sat in the NCIS undercover car watching the Martens house carefully. She woke early and arrived down the street before the sun rose. She took notes and photos whenever Miss Bricker opened the front door. Ziva did not have to fear being seen, the glass on the vehicle prevented anyone from making her.

The front door opened to the Martens Residence. Ziva got ready to follow her. Salem Bricker exited dressed to go jogging in black sports shirt, black leggings, white running shoes, and round black watch on her right wrist. She checked her watch and began to jog down the front path towards the public sidewalk.

Salem eyes shifted to the left when she turned away from Ziva. That indicated the woman knew she was being followed and appeared to not care. Ziva smiled and started the car to follow from a distance.

Almost thirty minutes later, Ziva pulled up to the curb across from the First Union Bank fifteen blocks from the Martens Residence. Ziva wondered what would bring a non-resident to a local bank.

Salem Bricker entered the bank after walking around outside to cool off from her run to slow her pulse. Ziva knew that Martens and Bricker did not have accounts at the local branch of this particular bank chain. McGee looked up all of their financial information.

"Where are you going?" Ziva ponders if she should get out and follow Salem inside.

Ziva patiently sat watching the bank. She checked the time every so often. Deciding that enough is enough, Ziva was about to open the door when Salem re-emerged from the bank and headed down the block.

Ziva quickly started the car and drove down the street.

**Chapter Sixteen**

For a civilian, Salem Bricker was difficult to follow. She disappeared in an alley two blocks from the bank. Ziva had to park and vacate the car in order to follow her. Two blocks later, she found Salem walking towards a number of café's and eateries.

Salem chose a small restaurant that served healthy foods. Ziva walked up the sidewalk to where Salem sat at a table alone her sandwich and salad now arriving by waiter. There were few people in the sidewalk dining area and passing by.

Ziva narrowed her eyes. Salem wore a dark blue sweater with a white tank top, black leggings and white running shoes.

"When did she have time to change?" Ziva asked herself quietly. "Miss Bricker? Salem Bricker?"

Salem looked up from her sandwich. "Yes?"

"Special Agent David with NCIS," Ziva flashed her credentials. "Naval Crime Investigative Service."

"What can I do for you, Agent David?" Salem took a bite of her sandwich.

Ziva took the chair adjacent to Salem Bricker. She sat down noticing there were a number of differences from the vibe she received from the woman earlier this morning.

She decided to take the more direct approach. "I'm part of the team investigating the death of your brother, James."

"I must admit I was a bit shocked when I found out." Salem pretended to be shocked. "Your investigation just began since you found my brother."

"There are a lot of unanswered questions, Miss Bricker." Ziva continued hoping to learn more about the elusive Captain Bricker and Lt. Martens. "The most important one we have is why he came to Norfolk."

Salem shrugged. "To visit Derek Martens. They've been good friends since training camp."

She took another bite of her sandwich. Salem appeared to be more comfortable with NCIS than Ziva thought would be normal. Still, she knew how the military worked.

Ziva pressed. "Were there any arguments in the last few months between them?"

Salem finished chewing and swallowed. "Nothing out of the ordinary."

"Did they fight often?" Ziva wanted to know.

"Not typically." Salem shook her head. "If they argued, I was usually not around. They acted more like brothers than friends. They used to fight over the smallest things." She smiled. "I do remember Derek was upset that my brother couldn't come to visit sooner. It was about a month before he left. My brother hated being ordered to any kind of bed rest. I always thought James would never retire, he could never be idle."

Ziva blinked. "You mentioned something about a visit?"

"Oh, yeah." Salem focused again. "It was something that Derek was very anxious over. When he got wind of something, he'd become obsessed. What it could be I don't know. Nothing was ever said while I was around."

"If you remember anything." Ziva handed her a business card. "Please don't hesitate to call."

Ziva walked away from Salem. She frowned that something felt off. She suspected Miss Bricker was holding information from them, important information. There was something going on that was more than just a conspiracy.

**Chapter Seventeen**

Gibbs stormed into the office with a fresh coffee in his hand. McGee worked at his computer and DiNozzo crooked his neck while handling files and talking on the phone to someone at Human Resources.

"Boss, I've done a preliminary background on the neighbors like you asked me to." McGee stared the screen. "So far, nothing stands out that would make me suspect anything amiss. They're checking accounts balance out according to their husbands pay grade. None of them have jobs." McGee noted Gibbs glare. "But I'll keep digging."

"Cause it's you, McFreak." Tony put the phone down. "I looked into James Bricker's service record. Salem has been listed as a dependent on her brother's tax return up until age twenty-three. She's also his beneficiary for life insurance and other benefits. Her address is listed to be the same as his. Looks like she's got a lot to inherit with big brother out of the way."

"I found something odd about Maria Solis." McGee remembered from the conversation with a relative's number used for emergencies only. "She and her family are not from Mexico but from Ralston, Texas originally. According to Tony's notes, she described her family as traditional Mexican."

Tony glared at McGee. "Relevance, McGee."

"She lied." McGee pointed out. "She preferred to announced a heritage she didn't have. Her family's Italian, only her husband's of Mexican decent."

Gibbs thought for a moment then looked to McGee. "Do a search on missing persons at any of the bases in the last ten years where Bricker, Martens, and some of his neighbors were stationed. We need to find out if there's a connection between Martens and Bricker's disappearance. DiNozzo, help McGee out."

Gibbs' cellphone went off. He took it out of his pocket and flipped it open.

"Gibbs." He paused. "Good work, Ziva. Stay there." Gibbs stood up. "McGee, also check to see if there's any safety deposit boxes registered to Martens or Bricker at past assignments. Check for alias's and if they have on-line email accounts under assumed names."

Gibbs left quickly. McGee and Tony looked at one another.

"Bet he's going to see Salem Bricker again." Tony smiled juvenile. "He couldn't take his eyes off her when they first met."

"I was there, remember?" McGee shrugged. "She's the victim's sister. He was sizing her up trying to figure out if she was hiding something. It only makes sense if Gibbs decides to question her more than once."

"Still acting like a probie." Tony leaned back in his chair. He had an eerie, happy smile on his face. There was happiness in his eyes, a sparkle not seen in a while.

"What are you talking about, Tony?" McGee got flushed.

McGee frowned trying to decipher what he was thinking. Probably thinking about the blonde he saw Tony with this morning getting coffee. McGee smiled then and got back to work. He would hold off on abusing Tony's tender vanity later.

"Am I the only one who saw how he leered at Miss Bricker when they first met? Even Gibbs can't avoid his natural instinct to take advantage of a…"

Tim rolled his eyes then whispered. "Gibb's been married three times. He won't make a fourth mistake."

"Gibbs' has been married four times not three, McWrong." Tony lost his smile and became serious. "I speak of sex and you think of marriage. Still acting like a probie, probie."

"I'm not a probie anymore, Tony." McGee shook his head. "I haven't been for a few years now."

Tony sighed and clasped his hands behind his head. "Once a probie, always a probie."

McGee stopped and smiled. "You were a probie once, too."

Tony pointed at McGee. "Only applies to you, probie."

McGee slams his fist into Tony's nearest arm.

**Chapter Eighteen**

Gibbs arrived and pulled behind another Charger already parked next to the curb further up the block. He got out and slammed the door. He walked beside Ziva's car until he reached the passenger door. He lifted the handle and opened the door. Gibbs quickly sat down in the passenger seat and glanced at Ziva. He pulled the door closed softly.

Ziva began without taking her eyes off the house. "She's been to the bank, stopped for lunch, several stores, including a hardware store, and the corner market for groceries during her jog."

"What bank?" Gibbs wanted to know.

"One United on First." Ziva sighed. "I followed her when she went jogging initially and it was her first stop of the day. She spent about an hour in the bank and then jogged to her next destination. I checked with the manager of the bank after I met Miss Bricker at lunch. Miss Bricker had a safety deposit box there and she possesses a key. Derek Martens and James Bricker are also on the box for access. We need a court order to see what's in there.

"That'll take a while." Gibbs stated the obvious. "We don't have probable cause to search the place."

Gibbs took out his phone and flipped it open. He dialed a number then placed the phone to his ear.

Ziva noted a male voice answered on the other side of the line. He inquired as to Gibbs' health and how it was at NCIS. Gibbs kept the conversation short.

Gibbs smiled and then spoke. "I need a favor." He paused listening to the man. "It's simple. I need a house searched in San Diego." He paused again. "Yes, it's for a current investigation."

Gibbs closed his phone and replaced it back into his pocket.

"I caught her at lunch." Ziva wondered what was going on in Gibbs' head. "She remembered an argument between Derek and her brother a month before he left for his visit. He was upset Captain Bricker couldn't come out sooner. She says they were more like brothers than friends."

"She told me something similar." Gibbs shook his head but frowned. "Seems odd they would argue while investigating they found."

"You think she's somehow responsible?" Ziva queried.

"She's hiding something from me." Gibbs narrowed his eyes. "She knows more than she claims."

"I know what that means." Ziva smiled. "Abby told me about the chemicals. Sounds like something Miss Bricker could concoct in her own lab. She's got the knowledge for it, Gibbs. She dabbles in chemistry in her spare time."

"She does." Gibbs kept his face expressionless. "But there's something I can't pin down about her."

"You think she's trying to steer the investigation away from her?" Ziva frowned, her brow creasing.

"Right now, I don't know what to think." Gibbs spoke softly. "Keep on her for the remainder of the afternoon. Where she goes, what she does. If she comes home, report back."

Ziva watched Gibbs leave her car. "I could've just told him over the phone." She smiled at Gibbs getting back into his car in the rearview mirror. "Guess Tony was right."

Ziva sighs and begins her steak out.

**Chapter Nineteen**

At the front window, Salem watched Gibbs get out of his car and moved to the car in front of his through the sheer drapes hanging over the window. Both cars were identical in color, make and model. She frowned wondering what Agent Gibbs was up to.

"Perhaps James was right to request NCIS on his case." Salem whispered softly then looked upwards keeping her voice soft. "You knew something, didn't you, James?"

She turned from the window and walked through the living room and into the kitchen. Salem knew what she had to do.

Salem walked around the kitchen looking for something in her black sports shirt, black leggings and running shoes. She found a screwdriver above the sink. She closed the curtains to the outside over the window above the kitchen sink. Salem unscrewed the electrical outlet.

"There." She spoke softly.

She opened the electrical outlet. She took a brass colored key from inside her bra. Salem stared at the safety deposit key with the account number etched into the metal.

A piece of electrical tape hung awkwardly where the key used to be secured to the interior electrical outlet box. She pushed the safety deposit key back against the box and slid a finger over the tape pressing it back into place. The key rested tightly against the box.

Salem replaced the electrical outlet cover and screwed it tightly into place.

"Thanks, James." Salem smiled. "Well, I guess it's time to go see what was left in the laundry."

**Chapter Twenty**

Ziva arrived back at the office to find Gibbs sitting at his desk staring blankly at his computer screen. McGee and Tony were nowhere to be seen. Perhaps they went for food?

Ziva decided it was best to intrude. "She never left the house after I followed her home, Gibbs."

"I didn't expect much after I left." Gibbs appeared glad for the intrusion.

Ziva was not sure how to interpret Gibbs' expression. "Abby didn't find anything yet?"

Gibbs remained silent and looked at Ziva with disappointment.

Ziva frowned and added. "I'll go see if I can help things along."

Gibbs tapped at his computer keyboard as Ziva left the office towards Abby's laboratory. Pictures popped up onto the screen, he quickly perused them and dismissed them just as easily. The report of the Bricker's parent's accident opened on screen. Gibbs quickly skimmed the report. He stopped on one line reading the text slowly, placing his finger on the screen to follow the words. His jaw tightened.

Gibbs stood up from his desk and walked quickly towards the elevator. Tony and McGee returned seconds later to find Gibbs had left the office. McGee held a thick file in his hands.

McGee and Tony looked to one another.

"I bet he's off to see the Wizard." DiNozzo chuckled.

"Following the yellow brick road?" McGee asked.

Tony slapped McGee on the back and began singing. "Follow, follow, follow, follow, follow the yellow brick road!" He walks off continuing singing. "If ever there was a wiz there was…"

McGee laughed sitting behind his desk.

**Chapter Twenty-One**

A few hours later, Gibbs stepped off the elevator with Salem Bricker. McGee and Tony glanced at one another as Gibbs and Salem headed towards Interrogation Room One. Salem did not appear happy.

Gibbs waited at the door of Interrogation Room One. Salem looked to him and frowned before she entered the room. She shrugged before she sat down at the table.

McGee appeared at the end of the hall and waved at Gibbs.

Tim whispered softly. "Boss!"

"What is it, McGee?" Gibbs waited impatiently.

McGee hesitated then Gibbs closed the door.

McGee straightened but kept his voice low. "San Diego NCIS called for you. The search of the house didn't produce anything conclusive except for a small chemistry lab in the basement. However, nothing in the lab points to making anything remotely like homemade drugs. More like detection equipment. There was some electronics among the shelves lining the basement. They're still running diagnostics on everything. Apparently the Bricker's liked to tinker in electronics as well as chemistry. They kept the house clean and criminal free otherwise it seems."

Gibbs spoke softly. "Tell them to dig deeper."

"Special Agent Warren told me to tell you, he tore the house apart and found no other hidden rooms or drawers." McGee looked at his PDA. "The Bricker's do have three different safety deposit boxes at local San Diego banks under James and Salem's names. But he can't get a court order without more substantial proof of a crime."

"I'll get it." Gibbs shrugged.

"Something else you may want to know." McGee paused noticing Gibbs' expression.

Gibbs rolled his eyes. "Get to the point, McGee."

McGee hesitated before continuing. "Miss Bricker hasn't held many jobs in the past. Her last job was on campus during her senior year at college. She worked in the health clinic. Also, she spent a lot of time traveling around the country for weeks, even months at a time. Her movements seem to mimic some kind of search. It may involve whatever Lt. Martens and Captain Bricker was working on."

Gibbs nodded and headed into Interrogation Room One.

Ziva and Tony passed McGee standing alone in the hall on their way to the observation room. He turned and followed them.

**Chapter Twenty-Two**

Gibbs sat at the table across from Salem Bricker, her hands were politely folded. She did not flinch under his intense stare. A file folder sat on the desk I front of him. Her eyes met his.

Gibbs began. "You have a sorted life, Miss Bricker."

"Just because you can't find something doesn't mean it's sorted." Salem leaned forward slightly.

"What did you do after high school?" Gibbs asked softly.

"This is pertinent to your investigation how?" Salem asked slightly.

"It helps us figure you out." Gibbs replied.

"Get to the point, Agent Gibbs." Salem paused before she continued.

Gibbs leaned forward, his eyes searching the minute text. Salem watched him curiously then smiled realizing he could not read the information without aid. Shaking her head, Salem sighed and rested her chin on her hands.

"You took a year off before you went to college." Gibbs opened the file on the table finally.

"Yes, I wanted to know what I wanted to do before I spent that amount of money on school. Otherwise, what would be the point? This is relevant how again?"

"Your brother paid for a lot of things." Gibbs glanced at the dossier.

"He did." Salem shrugged. "James raised me after our parents died."

"Accident." Gibbs replied. "I find it strange that your brother would feel so strongly about taking care of a sister then decide to join the armed forces before you even graduated high school. That strikes me as odd, Miss Bricker."

Salem frowned. "You have siblings?"

"No." Gibbs tapped his finger on the table.

"I don't expect you to understand then." Salem leaned back.

"Were you and your brother involved?" Gibbs hated having to ask the question.

Salem almost laughed. "My brother was gay, Agent Gibbs. Does that tell you anything?"

"You have a safety deposit box at One United Bank."

Salem slid her hand through her hair and shook her head. "Derek Martens has a safety deposit box at One United Bank. James and I were put on the access list. Of course you already know this. Are you trying to tell me you suspect me in the kidnapping of both Derek and James and the subsequent death of my brother?" She paused to take a breath. "I was in Seattle doing an errand for my brother at the time when Derek and James both went missing. There are many businesses that have surveillance cameras. Please waste your time looking into it and watching the tapes just to prove me right, Agent Gibbs. I'd look a little closer at the neighborhood if I were you."

Gibbs sat quietly, watching her closely. "We found nothing out of the ordinary."

"My brother knew you'd say that." Salem straightened her back. "They cover their tracks well. Derek left notes in his safety deposit box, Agent Gibbs. Mark Deggar, a civilian banker at One United Bank, disappeared four months ago one night after work. No one's seen or heard from him since."

"You think it's related to your brother's murder?" Gibbs kept his eyes focused on her.

"I know so." Salem smiled. "Derek has photos of Mark with the Solis' at a garden party six months ago. Derek wrote in his journal that he met him hanging out with Hannah Thompson. He was young, good-looking, and single. Suddenly, he just disappears after meeting the Solis'?"

"He's a civilian, Miss Bricker."

"My brother and Derek figured the kidnappings happened to civilians. Military personnel were never targeted." Salem got out of the chair. "James thought civilians were the targets until one of his friends back in San Diego went missing. The Navy declared Petty Officer Ron Evans UA a month ago even though his car, his uniforms, his wallet, and his family were left behind after leaving a bar post happy hour. Ron would never leave his family behind, Agent Gibbs. He was dressed as a civilian at the time he went missing with no military ID cards on him. No one would've known he was military till the media broadcasted it."

"Sailor's go UA all the time." Gibbs folded his arms.

Salem shook her head and paced back and forth. "Not Ron Evans. He was good guy. James was adamant about Ron being a damn good solider. Loved his wife almost as much as he loved the Navy."

"There's no ransom, why were they taken?" Gibbs unfolded his arms. "A slave ring?"

"More of a sex ring." Salem paused in her pacing. "There's no buying, they can make more money renting them out. Once you're in, you don't come out unless it's in a body bag. James was very detailed in his notes."

"Where are these notes?" Gibbs tilted his head slightly to the left.

"Where they're safe." Salem glanced over her shoulder. "I can't let you have them until NCIS opens its official investigation into the ring. James left strict instructions. They'll run once NCIS gets involved. So you see the dilemma. That's why James tried to get Derek into the ring. Get someone on the inside."

Gibbs stood quickly and slammed his hands on the table. Salem turned to face him slightly confused. There was raw anger in his eyes that turned hard and firm. He leaned forward on his hands across the table.

"You went into this willingly?" Gibbs' anger did not diminish. "That's foolish! More so with no resources of a federal agency backing you!"

Salem walked back to the table and pressed her hands on the table leaning toward Gibbs. She behaved calmly with her eyes focused on Gibbs' face. Their faces hung only inches apart.

"No, they did!" Salem returned the anger. "Admit you'd have done the same damn thing! No one believed them! No one backed them up! No one bothered investigating their suspicions! What other options were there?"

Gibbs spoke softly. "There are always options, Miss Bricker."

Salem shook her head. "According to James' notes, they believed it was the only way into the ring. Derek used money from his inheritance to buy his chance."

Gibbs voice softened. "All I have comes back to you."

"You think I care how this looks for me?" Salem narrowed her eyes in anger again. "I've got a missing friend and a dead brother, Agent Gibbs. James believed he was onto something. I followed the clues to Seattle. Just because my brother died doesn't mean I sit out when the war comes home."

"Your brother paid the price." Gibbs pointed out.

Salem straightened and folded her arms. "For being a fool to think he could take them down himself, yes. He tried to make someone aware of his investigation. But his superiors ignored his conspiracy theory regarding Derek's disappearance. I asked him to take it to the FBI but they, too, refused to listen. Not one person believed him."

Gibbs straightened, his eyes darting left to right thinking about her motives. Clearly, James Bricker attempted to follow some protocol to get someone to investigate. Who at the FBI would ignore a Navy Seal Captain's suspicions?

"You expect me to believe you now?" Gibbs wanted to know.

Salem tilted her head towards him staring at him sideways. "The FBI didn't believe James, why should you?" She paused. "If they weren't getting close to anything then why is Derek Martens missing and my brother dead? Do the math, Agent Gibbs."

Gibbs breathed in but remained silent. He concentrated on Salem Bricker wondering what else she was hiding in those safety deposit boxes. Did she have more evidence she did not want to give up? Was she planning on keeping it safe and hidden until she found Derek Martens?

"Say I believe you…" Gibbs trailed off.

"You strike me as a smart man, Agent Gibbs. I know you have nothing to charge me with a crime. Only suspicions." Salem returned to the table and leaned towards Gibbs again. "Derek made contact with some buyer in the Red Herring Corporation."

"You know his contact's name?" Gibbs leaned towards her again.

"I wish." Salem dropped her head and then looked up at Gibbs. "James wrote the contact's code name down after Derek told him about it. There wasn't a number. The company appears too clean to me. It's got to be a front. Derek was to meet the contact somewhere but he never called James after the meeting. Maria Solis works there."

"You find this out when?" Gibbs winced.

Salem sighed. "Today. First time I read James' journal entries at the bank. When he hadn't checked in for a few days, I suspected something must've happened to him. I'd hoped it was that Derek got in and was trying to make contact."

Gibbs breathed heavily in irritation.

Salem wanted food. "Supposedly Derek got a lead into Ron's disappearance in the last entry of his journal. That's why I was in Seattle before heading here. Solis' last military tour was at Fort Lewis outside Seattle, Washington."

Gibbs stared at her calmly. "You're not qualified to handle an investigation on your own."

"As if I had help?" Salem challenged. "All you throw at me is unfounded accusations."

Gibbs smiled. "We'll take it from here, Miss Bricker. I suggest you hang around."

"You care for me already, Agent Gibbs?" Salem smiled broader. "I doubt they'll do anything stupid with your drones hanging out in the neighborhood. They know your cars by now. One of the reasons I hoped you're people would stay away. The locals notice everything."

Gibbs stood up again. "You suspect the local housewives?"

Salem straightened and placed her hands on her hips. "I suspect them of running it. Look for discrepancies in how they live, what cars they drive, how many vacations they can afford every year on their husband's salaries."

"You've gotten to know Mrs. Solis well?" Gibbs inquired.

There was a possible avenue to access. If Miss Bricker knew to look for bugs at Martens house when she first arrived, she would know how to speak in the presence of people she suspected of involvement of a slave ring. It would raise suspicions and hopefully draw them out. Salem Bricker was playing with fire.

Salem folded her arms slightly agitated. "I doubt they'll ever trust me. Not with my brother being who he is and now dead. But Mrs. Solis hasn't hesitated to use me to find out just how far your investigation has gotten. She asks me for updates every time one of your people comes snooping around Derek's house and I've only been here one day."

"Just doing our job, ma'am." Gibbs smiled he leaned on the table.

"Don't call me ma'am, Agent Gibbs." Salem lost her smile. "My brother just died." She paused then smiled slightly. "Do you enjoy stirring up the neighborhood?"

"As long as I catch the bastard." Gibbs replied genuine.

Salem leaned forward again on the table and kissed Gibbs on the forehead. "Then fetch."

She smiled at his expression then walked to the door. Salem hesitated then opened the door and exited the room.

Gibbs smiled at that moment.

TO BE CONTINUED…


	4. Episode 2: Murder by Proxy Part 4

**NCIS Season 9**

**Episode 9.2.1**

**Murder by Proxy**

**Part Four**

**By: Lady JenDragon**

**Disclaimer: **I do not own NCIS or characters created for the show. I do declare my own characters as MINE, MINE, MINE!

**Author's Notes: **Let me know what you think. Any opinions are valued.

* * *

**MURDER BY PROXY**

**PART FOUR**

**Chapter Twenty-Three**

The room was dark except for the muted TV screen of the interview room that took place on the other side of the one-way glass. The light poured in from the interview room.

McGee and DiNozzo sandwiched Ziva between them. They stood facing Interrogation Room One. Gibbs and Salem Bricker's conversation was heard over the speakers when he slammed his hands down on the table.

"I don't believe it!" Tony nodded his head and snapped his fingers.

McGee smiled and looked at Tony. "She didn't even flinch."

"Not even a twitch." Ziva folded her arms. "Amazing. She's had training."

"I bet she's a strong woman to withstand Gibbs' wrath." Tony smiled with a conniving twinkle in his eye. "That should drive him crazy."

Ziva slapped Tony up the back of the head. The resounding slap echoed in the room. She glared at him and spoke in a chilly voice. "Pathetic, Tony."

Tony appeared surprised. "Hey! I'm just saying. Clearly, she's someone to pay attention to." He smiled then. "Bet he likes her already."

Ziva smiled and folded her arms again. "I bet you wish you could imagine yourself on a date with her."

Tony's smile deepened. "Oh yeah!" He closed his eyes and tilted his head back visualizing the date. "Come to daddy."

Ziva smiled widely. "Dreaming again?"

Tony lost his smile and narrowed his eyes at Ziva. She tilted her head and smiled innocently at him.

McGee slapped Tony on the arm suddenly his eyes fixed on the room. Ziva and Tony turned to look into the Interrogation Room. They watched Salem Bricker kiss Gibbs on the forehead and leave the room. DiNozzo appeared quite displeased. Ziva and McGee stood watching the incident with surprised expressions.

"Ha!" Ziva declared. "You were saying, Tony?"

"Told you he'd try intimidation." Tony relented softly.

Ziva pointed at Gibbs leaving the room. "It didn't work on her. She was never military but she certainly acts like it."

Tony added a dangerous, exhilarated tone to his voice. "I love a dangerous woman."

Ziva replied sarcastically. "You'd love any woman willing to talk to you. You're social life is just so wonderfully empty."

McGee laughed.

"You think it's funny, McLoner?" Tony turned to McGee. "Twenty bucks Gibbs gets her on a date." He nodded his head confidently, lifting his brows in innuendo.

Ziva smiled again.

"Fifty he doesn't." Ziva stepped to Tony confidently.

Tony lowered his face slightly. "You're on!.

McGee shook his head in disbelief. "I don't believe you two. She'd never go out with Gibbs. Salem's thirty-four and Gibbs. He's…well…" McGee suddenly became nervous.

Tony pushed his hands in his pockets. "Yeah? How old is Gibbs, McGee?"

McGee hesitated as Gibbs entered the room silently behind DiNozzo. Ziva kept her face straight watching Gibbs walk to and stand directly behind their senior field agent.

"I…it doesn't matter." McGee finally replied.

DiNozzo's eyes widened and lip-synched 'He's behind me?' McGee lowered his eyes and Ziva smiled. DiNozzo lowered his eyes and slowly turned around to face Gibbs steely stare.

"Whenever you're done DiNozzo, I think the truck needs gas and a wash." Gibbs smiled slightly. "Wash Ducky's truck while you're at it."

Tony smiled wincing slightly at the order. "Yes, boss."

After a quick look at McGee and Ziva, Gibbs smiled slightly then left the observation room.

**Chapter Twenty-Four**

Gibbs looked up from his desk on the third floor to the fourth floor open hall to MTAC doors. T.C. Fornell of the FBI stood at the railing watching him. Gibbs shook his head and smiled wryly. He got up and walked around then climbed the stairs towards Fornell and MTAC. Within seconds, he reached the top quickly. Fornell walked forward to join Gibbs near the stairs.

Tobias smiled. "You seem to be everywhere, Jethro."

"Part of my charm." Gibbs returned a slight smile. "Why are you here, Tobias?"

"You're investigating James Bricker." Fornell got to the point but hesitated to say more.

Gibbs voice asked in a low voice. "You know something, Tobias."

Fornell shrugged. "The Navy lost a good Seal for nothing."

"Cut the crap, Fornell." Gibbs became irritated. "You know something about who Bricker was investigating. Was it you he went to asking for someone to look into it and ignored him?"

"Maybe, maybe not." Fornell glared at Gibbs sideways.

The pregnant pause between them was as thick as fog.

Gibbs smiled and said a little more irritated. "Our usual conference room?"

Fornell followed Gibbs towards the elevator.

Inside the elevator, Gibbs stood next to the doors staring at the wall across the way and Fornell leaned against the wall opposite the doors staring at the floor. Gibbs flipped the emergency stop switch.

"What's Bricker involved in?" Gibbs took a drink from his coffee.

Fornell sighed and began. "A ring calling themselves the White Ghost. Deals with sex, slaves, and some assassinations. Mostly the first."

Gibbs smiled remembering his conversation with Salem. "Bricker get in the way?"

"We wouldn't have known about them if it wasn't for Captain Bricker, Lt. Martens and Miss Bricker's personal investigation." Fornell eyed Gibbs closely. "She's got good investigative abilities."

Gibbs smiled slightly. "Not your style, Tobias."

Fornell smiled and added. "She isn't yours either. They were fine until Lt. Martens tried to buy his way into the ring. We figured someone must've turned them in or the ring was watching them the whole time. Amateurs are easy to spot."

"They knew who Martens was?" Gibbs frowned but nodded.

"Yes." Fornell nodded. "Derek Martens disappeared shortly after he supplied money to a buyer known as Dogger. An alias we can't pin down. Yet. We're having a hard time finding who runs the operation even following the buyer Dogger around town and on the Internet. They're well hidden, well protected, and well financed."

Gibbs had to agree with Tobias. If the Brickers and Martens were snooping around, and if the FBI figured the ring was as well hidden, protected and financed, then they were out maneuvered. And they did not know it.

"Looks like I owe Miss Bricker an apology." Gibbs lowered his head.

Fornell smiled widely. "I'd like to see that."

Gibbs turned off the elevator emergency stop. The doors opened and both men exited immediately.

**Chapter Twenty-Five**

Gibbs returned to his office and sat down behind his desk. Ziva, Tony and McGee glanced at one another nervously checking into more records. McGee tapped away at his keyboard searching through a number of phone records. Gibbs rubbed his forehead with his hand.

"You okay, boss?" McGee asked with a purpose.

DiNozzo added. "Fornell didn't agree with you?"

Gibbs ignored DiNozzo, his eyes darted around the office thinking to himself. His attention was in his head not on his team.

"Miss Bricker left?" Gibbs asked.

"Yes." Tony confirmed. "You believe her then?"

"If Ron Evans, the missing sailor in San Diego, is indeed part of the ring, that makes three sailors the Navy lost. That makes it ours." Gibbs got to his feet.

"Salem Bricker knows a lot about how the military works, Gibbs." Ziva offered. "She could be playing us."

"I don't think so." Gibbs disagreed.

"Your gut instincts kicking in again, boss?" Tony leaned forward his hand on his bag in case Gibbs decided to go on a field trip.

Gibbs glared at Tony who cringed in silence.

"Been on it after your conversation with Miss Bricker, boss." DiNozzo tried to appear as if he got back to work on something important. "I did a quick check into the Solis' financials and found nothing out of the ordinary. But then I hacked into their home computer and looked around…"

Gibbs asked tersely. "What did you find, McGee?"

McGee added. "The Solis' have three offshore accounts in various aliases in Switzerland. Mrs. Solis runs the home and is the head accountant for Red Herring Distributors in downtown DC office. I doubt her husband knows about the offshore accounts since he's had no interactions with the accounts." McGee paused several moments, his fingers continued tapping on the keyboard. "At the time of several transactions, actual deposits, Lt. Solis was out to sea."

Gibbs looked to McGee. "Any contact with Raul and his wife during his deployment at sea?"

"I'm checking on that now." McGee tapped away at the keyboard.

Ziva responded instead. "I did some checking into the neighbors after my conversation with Miss Bricker as well. I focused on the neighbor's husbands and their lengths of deployments. There's no calls between Mrs. Solis and her husband at all during his deployments. The others, Mrs. Thompson and Mrs. Meyers have limited calls with their husbands. Just those three it seems. It's unusual for couples to avoid calling one another. Unless Lt. Solis knows about it and lets his wife handle it."

"I knew it!" Tony declared smiling wide. "Women are man's worst enemy!"

Ziva smiled dangerously. "And yet you can't stay away, Tony."

Tony lost his smile and glared at Ziva. "Temptation, Ziva." He recovered quickly. "It's all about temptation. However, I do try to avoid the crazy women."

"That's all that's left for you, Tony." Ziva smiled again.

"Knock it off you two!" Gibbs warned. "McGee, get me a warrant for the Solis' house."

"Can't, boss." McGee shook his head. "Everything I've pulled can't be used as probably cause." He recoiled slightly under Gibbs unhappy glare. "The Solis' are clean."

"Then find me something, McGee!" Gibbs demanded.

Gibbs got to his feet.

"Where you going, boss?" Tony questioned softly.

Gibbs walked towards the elevator with his coffee. "To stir up the neighborhood."

Ziva looked to Gibbs' back. "What should we do in the meantime?"

"Help McGee find probable cause." Gibbs threw over his shoulder. "Call me if you find something useful."

Gibbs stepped onto the elevator and disappeared.

McGee smiled. "Bet he's going to see Miss Bricker."

Tony smiled and lifted his eyebrows. "Now you're thinking, McDork. Did you see the way he was staring at Salem the whole time during questioning? That date's coming faster than either of you think."

"Not a chance." McGee rolled his eyes. "Gibbs always does that. He suspected her of murdering her own brother."

"I'm creating something out of nothing?" Tony stood up and faked at being offended.

"She did hold something back during their first meeting. Gibbs mentioned he felt she was holding something back before." He paused again. "And Salem Bricker did kiss him on the forehead at the end of their last conversation too."

Ziva shook her head. "Nothing more than a simple peck, Tony. She appreciated what Gibbs was doing but clearly she wasn't a murderer."

Tony looked over at Ziva in disbelief. "No one appreciates being accused of killing their own brother, Ziva. Not on any planet in the Milkyway Galaxy." He smiled. "Unless you want to admit to something my darling, Ziva David."

"Like I would give you that satisfaction?" Ziva narrowed her eyes and grimaced a pseudo-smile.

Abby appeared next to McGee. She asked innocently. "Is Gibbs around?"

McGee looked up at Abby. "What is it?

She frowned. "I found something odd."

"Define odd?" Tony walked over to Abby.

Abby shrugged her shoulders and began. "A fingernail…well a fake fingernail. The acrylic kind. You know the ones that rich ladies only wear? Top of the line too. It was in the soil that Captain Bricker was buried in. I finally got done sifting through it all. Nothing but this came up."

"Any DNA off it?" McGee asked first.

Abby smiled. "Yeah, I got something but it's not in the NCIS database for some reason."

Tony's vice lowered to almost husk. "Really? A female fingernail? French manicure?"

Abby brightened. "Hey! How did you know?"

Tony explained happily. "Mrs. Solis was telling Mrs. Thompson how she had to replace her French manicure nail when we went to talk to the neighbors about our dead Captain Bricker and the missing Lt. Martens."

Ziva thought for a moment. "She's a sailor dependant. Shouldn't she be in the database?"

McGee shrugged and nodded once. "Only those who use medical facilities on base." He tapped at the keyboard. "Yep, she uses a doctor off base. A Dr. Hilda Derell has a practice a mile from the main gate."

Ziva frowned. "Isn't it more expensive?"

"But then, she can afford it." Tony ordered. "How much she got in those offshore accounts, McGee?"

McGee tapped away at the keys. He stared intently at the screen as colors from the screen changed in his eyes. Then he frowned almost impressed.

"Al…almost four million." McGee added. "Guess she's been up to something bad."

"Bingo!" Tony cheered knowing he was right. "I bet if we could find a public DNA sample, we can match it to your mystery nail, Abby."

"Awe, thanks, Tony!" Abby folded her hands together and pressed them against her face. "You're so sweet!"

**Chapter Twenty-Six**

Maria, Hannah and Carly sat in three chairs on the front porch together sipping lemonade. They watched the dark Charger pull to the curb in front of the Martens house. Gibbs got out from behind the drivers side.

Maria Solis smiled over her glass and glanced at Hannah. "Well, well. If it isn't the rather handsome Agent Gibbs from NCIS."

Carly straightened in her chair straining to look over the top of the railing. "What's he doing here at this hour?"

The door of the car slammed shut. Gibbs walked around the front of the car and stepped onto the curb. He paused checking his cellphone. Closing his phone, he looked at the three ladies sitting on the front porch.

"Apparently he's come to question Miss Bricker again." Maria concluded.

"Maybe not." Hannah smiled excitedly. "He's heading this way ladies." She noticed Carly's expression and lowered her voice. "Oh, will you get yourself together, Carly. Men like him prefer cultured women."

Carly huffed and straightened her shirt. Maria and Hannah exchanged an amused glance. Carly appeared to be having issues deciding how to wear her hair, she finally left it a mess unable to make it more presentable. They settled waiting for Gibbs to arrive.

"Evening ladies." Gibbs climbed the stairs.

"What brings you here at this time of night, Agent Gibbs?" Maria smiled warmly.

"I'm curious." Gibbs stopped at the top of the stairs, leaning on the porch post. "You knew three Derek Martens better than anyone."

"Derek was a tough man." Maria began. "When he was home after being assigned permanent duty here, he had trouble adjusting to permanent status. He became kind of a handyman around the neighborhood. Helped anyone who needed it."

"He was good at plumbing." Hannah offered. "The pipes in my kitchen burst two months ago, he helped fix them. There isn't much money left over every month."

"It can be tough." Gibbs agreed.

"I di..didn't know Derek very well." Carly supplied. "My husband's stationed in Norfolk. I just come for visits."

"Would you like some lemonade?" Maria offered.

"No, thank you." Gibbs continued with the questions. "Did Derek have any unusual visitors besides Captain Bricker or get into any fights with anyone in the neighborhood recently?"

The ladies frowned and looked down towards the floor remembering. Gibbs' gaze went from face to face and back again. He took a deep breath when they all looked up at him again.

"No one comes to mind." Maria began. "Derek was such a sweet guy. Always well mannered and never got crazy on the weekends."

"Thought that was surprising." Carly added. "Most of the enlisted men usually party's away from the base."

"I can't think of Derek ever getting into a fight." Hannah smiled. "Why would anyone have anything against him?"

"Thank you." Gibbs took out business cards and handed them out to each of the three women. "If you think of anything, please call me."

"Certainly, Agent Gibbs." Maria got to her feet.

Hannah and Carly got to their feet as well wishing him a good evening. Gibbs descended the stairs and walked down the front path to the public sidewalk. He paused at the sidewalk intersection.

"Wow." He smiled then laughed shortly.

He returned to his vehicle.

Opening the front passenger side door, he pulled a small bouquet of flowers from the seat. He slammed the door and locked it again. Gibbs glanced at the flowers he picked up on the way here and smiled on purpose. He knew he was being closely scrutinized.

Gibbs turned towards the Martens house and walked across the grass to the front path leading to the front door. There was no fancy front porch to sit on like the neighbors but it was a charming house.

"I guess he still makes house calls." Hannah announced disappointed standing at the railing. "I wouldn't mind finding him across my dinner table."

"Mrs. Thompson, I do say!" Maria pressed a hand to her chest. "I don't think I've ever heard you ever say that about a man."

"Not till he came along." Hannah leaned over the railing. "You think he wears a suit everyday?"

"Ha, it don't matter, he's old." Carly said with derision turning from the railing.

"He's older yes but I doubt he's anywhere near dead." Hannah pointed out. "And you were so willing, Carly. Giving up so easily?"

"I concur, Mrs. Thompson." Maria smiled. "It's not like you, Carly to give up on a man so easily."

Carly remained silent.

"So…" Hannah smiled. "Let's go in and see what we can find from the dining room, shall we ladies?"

The three women exchanged glances and immediately rushed towards the front door. Maria grabbed the lemonade tray as they went inside.

**Chapter Twenty-Seven**

Gibbs glanced over his shoulder at the three women watching him from the front porch of the Solis house. At the front door, Gibbs pressed the front door bell. It echoed inside. He glanced towards the front porch of the Solis house again finding the three women gone.

He listened to someone walking towards the door on the inside. Gibbs smiled noting the dining room light turned off next door. Were they watching them from the dining room?

The front door creaked open redirecting his attention.

Salem Bricker opened the door wide wearing a tank top, shorts, socks on her feet and a long collared shirt. "Agent Gibbs? Awe, you brought me flowers." She raised an eyebrow at him. "To say you're sorry?"

Gibbs smiled handing her the flowers. "Among other things." He leaned forward and whispered. "We're being watched."

In one fluid motion, Gibbs pulled Salem out of the house through the threshold and onto the front porch against him. Salem was startled by the action. Gibbs stared down meeting Salem's wide eyes lingering for several moments. He dipped his head and kissed her.

Her hands on the flowers tensed but then relaxed. Salem slid her arms around Gibbs' shoulders to play up the public display. He pulled away slowly keeping his lips close. Salem was breathless.

Gibbs whispered. "It's Special Agent Jethro Gibbs, Miss Bricker."

She whispered back. "My. Mistake." Salem composed herself again. "Come in?"

"I thought you'd never ask." Gibbs smiled.

Gibbs walked past her into the house.

Salem stood for a moment to recover. Then she noticed the three housewives standing at the window in the dark. She waved at the three women. She turned and went into the house. She closed the front door.

TO BE CONTINUED…


	5. Episode 2: Murder by Proxy Part 5

**NCIS Season 9**

**Episode 9.2.2**

**Murder by Proxy**

**Part Five**

**By: Lady JenDragon**

**Disclaimer: **I do not own NCIS or characters created for the show. I do declare my own characters as MINE, MINE, MINE!

**Author's Notes: **Enjoy. I decided that even smaller chapters might be a little less intimidating after all. Yes it takes me a while to catch on sometimes.

* * *

**MURDER BY PROXY**

**PART FIVE**

**Chapter Twenty-Eight**

Salem closed and released the front door knob. She pivoted and found Gibbs smiling her. She narrowed her eyes and placed her hands on her hips rather annoyed with him.

"I doubt that was for my benefit." Salem narrowed her eyes.

"It got their attention didn't it?" Gibbs shrugged. "Nothing wrong with stirring up the neighborhood."

Salem weighed the options. "Are you trying to get me killed?"

"Mrs. Thompson?" Gibbs frowned.

"While you're off doing you're thing, I have to answer all the questions about you. 'How is he?' 'What's he like to talk to?' Very weird." Salem rolled her eyes. "You are just a popular one with the housewives around here since you showed up to question me. I'd watch out for Mrs. Thompson if I were you. She just might eat you."

Gibbs smiled then laughed off the concern. Salem walked up to him and stood directly in front of him, her lips inches from his chin.

Her eyes went cold. "I'm not kidding. Those women are dangerous."

Gibbs kissed Salem on the forehead in response. "What's for dinner?"

She pursed her lips. "Don't say I didn't warn you. I made a steak and some potatoes. We'll have to share. I thought I'd be dining alone tonight. You should've called."

Gibbs walked towards the kitchen. "My surprise visit wouldn't have been noticed then. I don't mind sharing, Miss Bricker."

"You always get your way with the ladies, Special Agent Gibbs?" Salem smiled following him to the kitchen.

He found the large steak sitting on a plate with a pile of potatoes set on the end of the table. Gibbs sat in the adjacent chair while Salem went and got a second plate from the cupboard.

"Depends if we're dating." Gibbs responded.

Salem tilted her head back and laughed as she took out another plate from the cupboard. A drawer was opened and a fork and knife were extracted. She returned to the table and proceeded to cut the steak in half.

"Rare?" Gibbs inquired.

"Medium." Salem smiled pushing potatoes onto the plate. "You should've called. James loves his steak rare as well."

A crash in the backyard caught their attention. Instantly, Gibbs drew out his gun as he leaped to his feet. He quickly moved to the back door, Salem close behind.

Gibbs checked the backyard through the backdoor window. A gray garbage can lay on its side with a black and white cat licking its paws beside it. Gibbs let out the breath he held and smiled. He relaxed his stance and holstered his gun. Salem stood nearby waiting for word, catching a glimpse of his smile.

"Cat?" She asked.

"Yes." Gibbs nodded returning to the table.

Salem frowned angrily. "Little jerk! Two nights in a row!"

She returned to the table and began cutting her steak. Gibbs watched her cut while he picked up his own utensils and began eating.

Gibbs began small talk. "Where you sleeping tonight?"

She did not miss a beat. "Spare bedroom." Salem paused. "You think they might try something?"

Gibbs whispered. "If they killed your brother, they might try something since you haven't left yet."

Salem smiled. "I have an electronic jammer turned on. We don't have to speak in whispers anymore."

"Why didn't you say so?"

"Would it kill you to ask once in a while?" Salem took a bite of some potatoes.

Gibbs ate quickly. "This is good."

"I can make a mean steak." Salem continued eating.

Later, Gibbs helped clean up the dishes and set them in the drainer by the sink. Salem disappeared towards the bedrooms and returned with stack of blankets and pillow. He remained leaning against the cabinets drinking coffee from a white mug.

"Where are you sleeping again?" Gibbs asked again already knowing the answer.

"I already told you where." Salem smiled and placed the stack on the unused side of the table. "The couch is pretty comfortable. I feel weird sleeping in Derek's room. He's always been more of a brother to me. Your welcome to it."

Gibbs shook his head. His eyes met Salem's standing next to the table. Her head twisted slightly interpreting unspoken intentions. Her mind spun at the innuendo.

"Are you implying something…Gibbs?" Salem asked sweetly.

"I didn't relish sleeping on the couch" Gibbs replied.

"Don't have enough practice yet?" Salem challenged.

Gibbs smiled and tilted his head slightly to the side to check her out as she turned to walk away. His eyes followed her from the feet up to the top of the head, pausing at the way she wore her hair tied up in a loose bun.

"Keep your hands to yourself, Special." Salem threw over her shoulder. "Agent."

Gibbs followed her down the hall. "Taking all the fun out of it?"

**Chapter Twenty-Nine**

The spare bedroom consisted of a double bed, one dresser sitting beneath the window, a closet off to the left, and one open suitcase on the floor in front of the bed. The window was open, the evening breeze made the room chilly. Gibbs stopped in the doorway watching her.

Salem sat on the bed with a look of suspicion in her eyes but she was role-playing along with his plan. She found him opening the closet doors slowly looking around.

His eyes darted everywhere inside then closed the doors. Gibbs glanced around the room. He closed the bedroom door and locked it. If the Ghost Ring were indeed watching the Martens house, there was always a chance something would happen. His gut told him the ring would move fast now that Salem Bricker was here.

"The alarm is set to 0600." Salem informed him nodding towards the alarm clock. "Why exactly are you here?"

Gibbs knelt in front of her, closing the distance between their lips.

"You invited me, Miss Bricker." Gibbs whispered.

"Call me Salem, Gibbs." Salem smiled her eyes staring at his lips then shifted back up into his eyes.

"Jethro." Gibbs responded letting his lips linger close to hers.

Salem smiled. "You're a fascinating Special Agent, Jethro Gibbs."

Gibbs smiled at her moving closer to her lips. "Sometimes you have to take one for the team."

He lingered close to her lips. Salem leaned forward pressing her lips against his. She pulled away long enough to whisper. "As long as the team isn't here."

Gibbs smiled and she smiled back intensifying the moment. He pressed his lips against hers pulling Salem against him. Their kiss deepened. Salem slid her hands under his arms and around his chest. Gibbs lifted her up to stand with one leg bent on the bed.

Salem hesitated then wrapped both arms around his shoulders. His hands slid into her hair setting her hair loose as their kiss grew passionate. Salem pushed one hand over his skin and created a darkened area on the back of his neck.

Salem slid Gibbs' blazer off and discarded it off to the side. Her hands lifted the bottom of his polo shirt. Suddenly she turned rigid then fell limp towards the bed. Her eyes fluttered then closed.

Gibbs noticed a red dart in her right shoulder as Salem fell limp then unconscious in his arms. He set her on the bed and turned to find a dark figure holding a gun at him from the window. The figured pulled the trigger and shot something at him.

Gibbs tried to evade the dart but it hit him in the neck. He stumbled towards the window and staggered slightly. He shook his head to clear his mind but it only got fuzzier. He fell backwards onto the bed unconscious beside Salem Bricker.

The dark figure lowered the dart gun and climbed in through the window. The figure walked up to the bed. Another dark figure emerged from beneath the bed and stood beside the first figure. Both stared at the unconscious couple.

The second figure said. "That was close."

"Too close." Said the first figure. "Next time, don't get under the bed. Let's get him out of here."

"What do we do with her?" The second figure wanted to know.

"Leave her here." Figure one stated calmly. "Agent Gibbs is the target. Besides, we've something very special planned for Miss Bricker. She's as meddlesome as her brother."

The two figures pulled Gibbs shoes off. They set to work removing clothing and his SIG from its holster. The gun was set aside as his watch was removed.

**Chapter Thirty**

Salem woke the next morning still on the bed fully clothed. She rose slowly and unsteady finding her balance before trying anything like walking. She looked around to finds Gibb gone.

Salem called out. "Jethro?"

She got off the bed to find his blazer, polo, undershirt, shoes, trousers and his gun lying on the floor. His cellphone and keys topped the pile of clothing.

"Crap!" She found the bedroom door wide open.

Salem ran out of the room.

Less than an hour later, Salem stood by the front door as Ziva and McGee walked through the house with support staff to help with the collection of evidence. Salem noted that there were people for everything. Salem was finishing up with giving a statement to the more immature Agent DiNozzo.

"So you felt a pinch in the neck and lost consciousness." Tony recited. "Then what happened?"

"He was gone." Salem replied. "Everything in the room was there when I woke up this morning."

"McGee has the dart?" Tony wrote something down on a notepad.

"Yeah." Salem glanced around. "If I had to guess, Agent Gibbs was also tranquilized before they hauled him off."

Another NCIS truck arrived with Ducky and Jimmy Palmer to aid in the investigation. Salem folded her arms tightly feeling a bit odd that she lost a NCIS agent.

"Tony!" Ducky walked up to the front door. "Where's Jethro?"

"Gone." Tony turned to face Ducky with a serious expression. "What are you doing here, Ducky?"

"To help out." Jimmy Palmer stated matter-of-factly. "Dr. Mallard refused to sit at NCIS while one of our own went missing."

"Sorry." Salem apologized.

"Never apologize." Tony told her. "It's a sign of weakness."

She followed Agent DiNozzo and the older gentleman named Ducky into the house. She did not wait for the younger assistant to Ducky to enter before she did. Salem wanted to keep close to the agent in charge, even if he was a bit immature.

Salem walked to the kitchen and stood next to Ducky near the threshold leading to the hallway. Agents McGee and Ziva David exited the kitchen working their way to the spare bedroom with cameras and note pads. Ducky's assistant walked out of the hallway holding a clear bag of evidence from the spare bedroom. Salem recognized Gibbs' clothes. Salem noted their protocols were strictly adhered to during an investigation.

Ducky started off accepting the bag from his assistant. "So you're saying Jethro and you concocted this plan to get them to notice you?"

Salem darted her eyes around the room as Ducky removed a wallet from the evidence bag with latex gloves. "More like stirring up the neighbors really. I was hoping to rouse some interest in me that might reveal who was involved in Derek's disappearance and my brother's death. It's a ring calling themselves the White Ghost. Gibbs showed up last night unannounced around nine."

"Sounds like Gibbs." Tony joined the conversation.

"At first I didn't understand what he was trying to do." Salem remembered the kiss easily enough. "I just went along with his little impromptu display."

"What exactly were you doing when you knocked out, Miss Bricker?" Tony watched Salem Bricker closely.

"Call me Salem, Agent DiNozzo." She glanced at him then shrugged. "I was kissing him. That was part of the plan, I think, anyway. Several housewives in the neighborhood took a serious interest in him. I thought it would accelerate my investigation."

Ziva eyes widen and McGee's mouth gaped open joining the growing think tank. They exchanged alarmed glances with Ducky. Tony smiled impressed with the information.

Tony smiled at Ziva. "Kissing?" He frowned at Salem. "You were kissing Gibbs willingly?"

Salem frowned at DiNozzo. "It was part of the plan. Get whoever was watching us to think we were romantically involved. I didn't expect it to work so well. James calculated the ring took men between the ages of twenty to forty."

Ducky looked to DiNozzo then back at Salem. "I assure you Leroy Jethro Gibbs doesn't fit into that age bracket.

Salem rolled her eyes. "I'm well aware of that." She noted Agent DiNozzo's expression. "I saw his driver's license."

Tony's eyes widened. "You got to see his license?"

Tony took the bag from Ducky and looked for the wallet in the transparent plastic holding the evidence of what remained of Gibbs: blazer, shoes, polo, undershirt, trousers, cellphone, belt, watch, agency gun, and holster.

Ducky smiled. "I have Jethro's wallet, Anthony."

Tony glared at the doctor. "That's evidence, Ducky."

"I'm sure Jethro won't mind." Ducky smirked at Ziva and McGee. "The perpetrators who took him used gloves anyway. You won't find any prints on it, I assure you."

McGee frowned then looked at Salem. "You'd consider going out with Gibbs?"

Ziva and DiNozzo looked to McGee with surprise then turned their attention to Salem.

Salem smirked knowing how to answer. "Sure. Why not? He's a good-looking agent even if he is a little older than most men I'd consider dating. Many women in the neighborhood thought so too."

Tony cringed. "I don't even want to know." Then he whispered. "What kind of sex ring is this?" Tony's cellphone rang. He moved away to answer it becoming serious and replied. "DiNozzo."

Ziva looked to Salem. "We have to find Gibbs now. You remember anything else from last night?"

"She won't." Ducky watched Salem and patted her on the shoulder. "The drug used in the dart found on the bed looks like a form of the GHB drug. It probably fell off when they hauled Jethro off the bed. It's most likely a quick acting sedative from your description. You won't remember much, my dear."

Salem found she liked Ducky as he patted her on the shoulder. "Why'd they take Jethro and leave everything else behind?"

McGee shivered. "I can't believe they left everything behind."

"We can't even use his cellphone to track his movements." Ziva added. "They knew what to remove to avoid us finding Gibbs' location. They're pros all right."

Tony returned to the group while he closed his cellphone.

"We have a bigger problem." Tony held a serious expression.

McGee looked to Tony worried. "What's that?"

"We just found Petty Officer Ron Evans." Tony looked to Ducky and Jimmy Palmer. "Hikers found his body close to where Captain Bricker was found. Sorry, Salem."

Ducky shook his head. "Well, I guess we should let them get on with their investigation here, Mr. Palmer. We have a date with a friend."

Mr. Palmer eagerly began heading for the door. "Yes, I'll get the truck, Dr. Mallard."

"You do that, Mr. Palmer." Ducky shook his head and then looked to DiNozzo. "Find Jethro before they do something to him."

"I doubt Gibbs couldn't find a way out of this one, Ducky." Tony responded confidently. "Might do him some good actually. He's got a lot of anger issues."

Ducky slapped DiNozzo upside the head this time and walked away.

Ziva also slapped Tony upside the head. "Sick, Tony, sick."

Ducky turned towards the door. "I was more concerned with how you would fare if Jethro found out you left him there to deal with his anger issues."

Tony's eyes widened with fear. McGee frowned in thought and begins to laugh. Ziva laughed automatically and shook her head. Ducky walked away with Salem at his side.

Salem whispered to Ducky almost to the front door. "Is Agent DiNozzo always like that?"

Ducky leaned towards Salem. "Actually, he's on his best behavior today."

They exited the house together.

"Good to know." She waited for Ducky to make his way towards the NCIS coroner truck.

Quickly, she pulled out her cellphone and pressed several buttons. Salem glanced around to find Hannah Thompson and Carly Meyers standing together and watching her closely from across the street. She faked a smile and waved at them.

"Bitches." Salem whispered.

**Chapter Thirty-One**

Gibbs woke up dressed in a black sleeveless shirt hung open in the front with black sports pants and matching black flip-flops. He considered his appearance and shrugged.

He sat up in the middle of a queen-sized bed with white sheets. Gibbs shook his head feeling groggy from the drugging. The reminder of the room was shadowed in darkness. There were no other décor in the room. He guessed the shadowed areas held a door leading to a hallway and possibly a bathroom as well.

"Where the hell am I?" He looked around.

A wooden door creaked open somewhere in the shadows in front of him. Three figures cloaked in white robes and hoods with the eyes cut out entered the room from head to toe. Gibbs stared at them as they separated and stood in a line before him.

"You wouldn't happen to have brought coffee with you, would you?" Gibbs felt a headache beginning.

"Welcome, Special Agent Gibbs." The female figure on the far right spoke first.

"I was on the guest list, I take it?" Gibbs asked searching for answers.

Gibbs tried to stand but found his balance was off. He fell back onto the bed on his back. There was little energy left to lift his head up to look at the figures watching him. Their eyes were smiling down at him.

The middle figure spoke next also a feminine voice. "You'll find the drugs we've given you prevent any chance of escape. Your motor skills and depth perception are affected."

"You are a special request for a very good client." The figure to the far left spoke.

Gibbs lifted his head. "Wonderful." He whispered. "I'll shoot her too."

The middle figure responded. "Such a sense of humor, you have. Do as you're told and all will be well."

He winced. "I don't have three ex-wives because I did what I was told."

The figure on the right spoke. "Perhaps its best to see what he offers before we give him to the client."

The figure on the left turned to the others. "The client requested him to be untouched by any other in the family."

"Leave him here for now." The middle figure spoke. "Once he's ready for the client, we'll move him to his new home."

Gibbs could barely stay awake. He grew irrationally tired and eventually lost consciousness.

**Chapter Thirty-Two**

NCIS finally left the house with their evidence collected. Salem locked all the doors and closed the drapes in all the windows. She went through the house searching for anyone who might be left behind. She checked in every closet and shadowed corner for anyone who might be hiding.

Satisfied, Salem rifled things out of the spare bedroom closet and tossed them hap-hazardly onto the bed. The floor and back wall of the closet was finally exposed. Salem lifted her foot and slammed it into the wall.

A hole was made where her foot contacted the aging plaster. She bent over and tore away the wallboard discarding it behind her. A thick space was revealed with a number of hangers screwed into studs to display the collection of weapons, knives, packs, and ammo kept by James in case of emergencies. Her brother mentioned he placed the weapons in the spare bedroom closet wall in one of his journal entries.

Salem glanced upwards. "James, you know how to take care of me. I'll find Derek and Gibbs for both of us." She paused. "Then you can rest in peace."

She collected all the weapons she could placing them in a small black waist pack she brought with her. She removed everything and headed into the bathroom. About ten minutes later, Salem emerged dressed in a black tank top, black cargo pants, and black boots. She tied a thin black jacket around her waist.

Salem looked towards the spare bedroom remembering Gibbs smiling at her. Suddenly haunted by the way Gibbs kissed her she fisted her hands. Salem shook her head of the memory. She hesitated then turned towards the kitchen.

"They'll have the front door watched." Salem whispered. "And I can't wait for darkness."

Salem walked through the kitchen to the backdoor. She opened the door and left the house. Closing the door quietly, she locked it with a key.

Out back, she found nothing out of the ordinary. The Solis' backyard appeared empty through the small slits in the fence. Salem hesitated out of habit. Then she heard a voice.

Salem hid behind a bush, peering through the fence separating the Martens and Solis houses. Lt. Raul Solis took the trash to the bin on the side of the house near the garage. He was dressed in his pajamas and looked tired. She remembered he watered the lawn early this morning.

She noted that Mrs. Solis was preparing to leave on an errand when she came out of the back door. The Solis backyard lacked landscaping between the shared fence and the garage with the house and grass yard in between.

Salem took out a small gun-like device and lifted the barrel to the knotted hole knocked out nearby. She held it at the BMW parked in the driveway in front of the garage. She had a clear shot from her position.

Carefully she calculated the time her plan would need to travel to attach itself properly. James always warned her to learn her enemies faster than her friends. She aimed and fired as Mr. and Mrs. Solis embraced in a simple kiss.

A small circular object attached to the sedan magnetically. It blended in with the gray color of the car. Salem smiled hitting her target.

"Gotcha." Salem whispered. "Now I'll find out where Gibbs is."

Salem walked over and easily scaled the back fence out of Derek Martens backyard. She had to travel far and fast. It would take some finessing to get where she wanted to be before sun down. Following someone could be difficult sometimes.

**Chapter Thirty-Three**

Mrs. Solis pulled out of her driveway as four FBI vans arrived in front of the Martens Residence. She slammed on her brakes as they screeched to a halt next to her driveway. She smiled as she turned right out of her driveway and pressed on the accelerator.

More than twenty men poured out of the opening doors and exited as if they were on a SWAT mission. Some men carried crime scene investigation equipment while others carried metal detectors. They congregated on the front lawn.

One man walked up to the front door and rang the front door bell. The others waited for several seconds then turned towards the others waiting.

Suddenly, the house exploded.

The fire erupted first followed by raining glass, wood splinters, rock, and metal debris as FBI agents and professional staff dove away from the mayhem. Several had to roll away from the explosion and ran for the street.

Mrs. Solis smiled at the scene in her rearview mirror.

**Chapter Thirty-Four**

Gibbs woke again hours later. He found one hand was now chained to the wall. He yanked on the chains to test them finding them intact and new.

The set up reminded him of an old case. Flashes of women in their wedding dresses flashed through his mind. He remembered they were chained to the wall and left for dead if they were not perfect. A dark-haired woman lay on the twin bed in a fifties wedding gown and veil barely awake. Another image of a decayed corpse rotting in a fifties wedding dress and lying in a twin bed flashed through his mind.

Gibbs shook his head of the memories. The assailant committed suicide as they arrived to arrest him. He got on his feet with the flip-flops and chain in tow. Gibbs felt better physically. His head felt clear but ached just a little.

Gibbs winced. "I need coffee." He tried to get his mind in order forcing himself to focus on the situation. "Probably far from any town. This place is probably in the forest away from many roads. There has to be at least one main road coming in and out."

A flash of Salem kissing him jogged his memory.

Gibbs smiled at the memory. "Yeah, that was the last thing I remember." He paused. "Damn."

Gibbs shook his head. His head clears a bit more. He smiled and patted himself down. He found nothing familiar on his person. They took everything and left it behind at the house, he concludes.

"Damn again." Gibbs curses under his breath.

He began to pace back and forth to clear his mind. Being chained to the wall irritated him. The lack of coffee was beginning to make him angry.

**Chapter Thirty-Five**

NCIS trucks formed a 'V' where they parked on the dirt road. The Sheriff's deputies kept the growing crowd away from the crime scene maintaining the line of caution tape.

Ducky led the way with Palmer and McGee behind him. Tony and Ziva talked to the Sheriff first on scene to gain a clearer picture of the chain of events.

"I hope this isn't meant to be a distraction from finding Jethro." Ducky pointed out.

Palmer got nervous. "You believe it's possible, sir?"

Ducky became annoyed. "Odd don't you think we should find another body the same time Jethro goes missing?" He paused to give Palmer time to absorb the information. "A distraction indeed."

McGee walked up to Ducky with a camera in hand.

McGee overheard Ducky's statement. "We're bringing in the FBI on this one to help us out. They'll be at Marten's house with Salem by now. Tony called Director Vance on our way here. They're taking over that part."

Ducky rolled his eyes unsatisfied. "Of course they want in. Once they bust the ring, they can claim all the credit."

Ziva and Tony joined Ducky with McGee and Palmer.

Ziva said with confidence. "Once we're done here, we'll join back up with Fornell and his squad."

Tony frowned at McGee. "You actually think they're going to wait for us, McGee?"

The team appeared conflicted, torn between looking for Gibbs and doing their job for Petty Officer Ron Evans. Ducky continued his way towards the body lying out in the open fifty feet from the nearest public trail. The others followed Ducky in deep thought. There was concern over finding Gibbs or doing their job.

Ducky focused. "Once we're done here, we'll focus on Jethro." He sighed. "Certainly looks like a diversion to me."

The body of Ron Evans was laid across the ground with arms and legs spread out. The flesh was decayed and was beginning to fall off the bones.

Tony lowered his eyes. "Yeah, it's a diversion."

McGee and Ziva stared at the body. Ducky and Palmer got to work. Tony took out his phone to make a necessary call.

TO BE CONTINUED…


	6. Episode 2: Murder by Proxy Part 6

**NCIS Season 9**

**Episode 9.2.3**

**Murder by Proxy**

**Part Four**

**By: Lady JenDragon**

**Disclaimer: **I do not own NCIS or characters created for the show. I do declare my own characters as MINE, MINE, MINE!

**Author's Notes:** Let me know how I'm doing.

* * *

**MURDER BY PROXY**

**PART SIX**

**Chapter Thirty-Six**

Gibbs paced back and forth with the chain firmly in his hand. The room appeared different than the one he remembered when he first woke. He ignored the plate of food and bottle of water set on the table next to the bed.

Only a toilet, corner shower, and the bed occupied the new room. His eyes found every corner of the box he was locked to at the moment. The White Ghost ring was very well hidden.

Gibbs whispered. "How did they find it?"

Salem, her brother James, and Derek Martens found the White Ghost slavery ring somehow. Were they targeted? Gibbs had to think about something during his stay.

The door creaked open at that moment. Two white figures cloaked in long robes and hoods walked into the room. The robes opened to the front with only the eyes and nose covered by a white porcelain facemasks.

The figure on the right spoke first. "It is time, Special Agent Gibbs."

Gibbs looked at the female figures standing before him. "For what?"

The first figure responded. "Your presence has been especially requested by a very good client." A hand motioned for the other figure to detach the chain from the wall.

The second figure turned and knocked out the first with a firm roundhouse kick to the head. Salem took off the white robe quickly and discarded it off to the side. She wore the black tank top, cargo pants and boots.

"Time to get the hell out of here, Gibbs." Salem pulled out two picks from her hair. "Come on!"

In seconds, Salem unlocked Gibbs chains. Once free, he staggered slightly when he tried to walk fast towards the door leading out of the room. Salem quickly caught him and steadied him.

"How'd you get in?" Gibbs wanted to know.

"Mrs. Solis led the way." Salem noted the glaze on Gibbs eyes. "We'll talk later. Security's crawling all over this place."

Gibbs felt woozy then and staggered slightly. She placed his arm around her shoulders and lifted him. Part of her was concerned that they would not make it out fast enough.

Salem moved them towards the door and whispered. "We don't have a big window to escape, Gibbs."

She checked the hallway finding it clear. Salem pulled Gibbs and they moved quickly down the hall.

She strained under his weight. "Just hang with me long enough to make it out of here alive."

**Chapter Thirty-Seven**

The sun rose higher in the sky. The forest appeared silent around them, devoid of another living soul. That did not stop the couple from moving through the trees quickly. They had another five miles to the river then another three to the road and then to freedom.

Salem nearly dragged a staggering Gibbs through the forest. He struggled as he tried to move fast but found himself severely unbalanced. Salem sweated from keeping them both moving hopefully without being followed. Even with Gibbs drugged, they moved fast.

They came to a fallen tree. Gibbs could barely lift his leg over tree roots and stumps. Salem had to keep talking to get him to move. They kept to the denser parts of the forest.

She checked behind them at regular intervals. The shadows grew darker as the sun began to set. Glancing around, she spotted an opening to a possible hideout. The caves in the area appeared to be hidden behind thick vegetation. There was little time to consider whether anyone knew of the caves before deciding to take what she was given. The vegetation would come in handy.

"Finally, vegetation's on my side for once." Salem changed direction. "Come on, Gibbs. I can't carry you all the way back to the road."

Gibbs groaned as she shifted him and pushed through rougher vegetation. Half his weight was on her as they burst into the cave. She took a chance entering the cave to find nothing inhabiting it.

Salem set Gibbs down next to the slippery wall letting him slide down under his own weight. His body limped from the exertion. The drug must be regulated and given by injection she surmised. Gibbs would not be willing to swallow pills, Salem concluded.

"Let's get this place sealed and then we'll take care of you." Salem decided.

Salem returned to the entrance and pulled some of the branches of a thick bush growing on either side of the cave entrance across the opening. Since they pushed through the vegetation, there were obvious signs that someone had gone through. She had to try hiding their travel plans.

"Damn, not enough." Salem surveyed her effort.

She exited the cave moving quickly keeping low to the ground. Gibbs lifted his head and opened his eyes. He blinked rapidly and looked around his vision slightly blurred.

Salem returned a short time later with more branches to cover the entrance with. Once satisfied with the cave hidden, she sat next to Gibbs and took out a small package from her right leg pocket. Salem opened it and broke off a piece of granola. Quickly, she stuffed it into his mouth.

Salem ordered. "Chew it."

Gibbs obeyed her command and chewed slowly. "Coffee." He mumbled the demand.

Salem rolled her eyes, smiled, and pulled a silver flask from her left leg mid-thigh pocket. She opened the flask and handed it to him.

"I thought you might need this." Salem smiled.

Gibbs took it and drank the entire flask's contents down. "How did you find me?"

Salem settled back and eyed him. "I tinker with electronics, micro stuff mostly. It wasn't hard to create a beacon and place it on you."

Gibbs winced. "They left my clothes behind."

Salem explained. "Thought that was weird myself they left your clothes behind. My first one is wax and appears like a mole on the back of your neck. I placed it on you during our embrace last night. I took it off and got rid of it once we vacated the underground compound. Most people wouldn't detect it. It helped that I placed secondary one on Mrs. Solis' car. She led me straight to the place."

He frowned. "You're like McGee."

She laughed softly. "He's a software nerd. I'm a hardware kind of girl, myself. There's a difference."

"Not to me." He shrugged.

Gibbs took another long drink from the flask hoping it refilled magically. He shrugged but felt better. The headache began to go away. Salem handed him a granola bar but with a different wrapper. She opened one too.

"Protein bar, eat up, Gibbs." She ordered. "You'll need your energy tomorrow. If we move now, they'll find us. We're here for the night."

"You have transportation?"

She nodded. "Off a side road hidden in the bushes. This place was isolated, no one would've found you otherwise. My guess, the land is owned by the Red Herring Corporation. It's probably been abandoned so they use it for their main operations."

"My team knows about your gadget?" Gibbs looked to Salem.

Salem shook her head. "No time to get word to them if I wanted to bust you out. Ron Evans body was found this morning. They took off to do their thing. Probably used as a diversion to slow the search for you. The FBI showed up this afternoon. Then the house exploded."

"I guess I owe you an apology." Gibbs stated.

"Yes, you do owe me an apology." Salem glanced at him. "I'll settle for dinner first then the apology."

Gibbs smiled then laughed slightly. "How about steak?"

"Sounds like a plan." Salem dug into her pocket. "I've only got one emergency blanket. We'll have to share."

Gibbs smiled again.

Salem looked at Gibbs wondering. "Why did they take you?"

Gibbs shrugged again. "Guess I pissed someone off."

Salem nodded but she did not think that was the case. However, there were no other clues to go on at the moment.

**Chapter Thirty-Eight**

Martens Residence was strewn across the lawn. Little remained of the structure. The fire department personnel put out the last of the few isolated fires. Hoses were laid out across the lawn while a crowd from the neighborhood gathered around watching the activity.

Tony and the Fire Chief talked within range of McGee and Ziva watching the activity on scene. McGee occasionally took photos of the crowd gather outside of the caution tape stretched out in a rhomboidal pattern using the local trees. There was not much for them to do as far as forensics. The FBI insisted it was their scene since their men were on site when the explosion occurred.

Ziva repeated. "One casualty."

McGee shook his head. "Fornell's not happy about losing his guy. Salem wasn't inside when it exploded."

"Did Salem possibly set the explosives?" Ziva looked to McGee.

Tony joined McGee and Ziva standing on the sidewalk. They watched the fire fighters spray the last of the smoking cinders. Tony and Ziva turned towards the crowd spectating the fires.

"I doubt it." Tony glanced at his notepad. "Fire Chief says it looks official military grade and not the homemade kind.

Ziva sighed. "Someone with military access?"

McGee asked. "So get started on the neighbors then?"

"That's a good idea, McGee." Tony agreed. "Mrs. Solis seems to be off somewhere at the moment. Lt. Solis and the two kids are at a hotel for the night. Their house needs some new windows on the east side now."

McGee agreed. "Good thing he watered the grass early this morning."

"Doesn't that strike either of you as strange?" Ziva glanced at Tony.

"There's a lot that's strange right now, Ziva." Tony stated his mind working the angles. "You know what else is weird?"

Ziva became impatient. "I miss Gibbs too, but can you focus for a few seconds, Tony? I find it difficult to think Lt. Solis' watering his grass this morning is just a coincidence."

McGee understood what Ziva meant. "Lt. Solis told me his wife asked him to water the lawn this morning."

"And guess who else ain't here watching the aftermath" Tony nodded towards the crowd.

Hannah Thompson and Carly Meyers were noticeably absent.

McGee smiled and nodded. "Guess we have probable cause to take a closer look at the Solis', the Thompson's, and the Meyers'."

Tony smiled then ordered. "Ziva, take McGee to the hotel and bring Lt. Solis in for questioning. I doubt he knows nothing about what his wife's up to."

McGee and Ziva both agreed.

**Chapter Thirty-Nine**

Gibbs rested on his side beneath the blanket. Salem lay in front of him on her side and shared her coat rolled into a pillow. Her hair lay off to the side, her bare neck exposed to the air. The emergency blanket was draped over them. A small blue light illuminated the cave dimly but not enough to give their position away.

"How many safety deposit boxes do you have, Miss Bricker?" Gibbs whispered close to her ear.

"Two." Salem responded in a whisper. "Derek had one and James opened one when he arrived. James never told Derek about the second safety deposit box as a precaution."

"Ziva mentioned you were visiting banks." Gibbs replied.

"Ziva?" Salem frowned.

He sighed. "Agent David from my team."

"I don't think I met him." Salem replied.

Gibbs lifted his head to look at her. "I'll introduce you." He allowed the subject to drop.

"You do that." Salem replied sleepily.

Gibbs lay on his back then his mind going to work. Salem turned to face him and shifted to lean against him. She shivered several times then covered him with the extra blanket left over from moving closer.

"Did your brother teach you a few things?" Gibbs looked down at her closed eyes.

Salem whispered back. "James insisted on training camp every time he was home after he graduated. We spent many weeks camping. Does it show?"

He smiled. "Not at all."

Salem chewed on her lower lip with closed eyes. Gibbs rested his arm around her. She quickly fell off to sleep. His eyes remained open for sometime.

**Chapter Forty**

McGee slept upright at his desk. Tony slept leaning back in his chair with his feet resting on his desk. Ziva slept face down on her desk. At that moment T.C. Fornell walked through the Squad Room and smirked at the sight.

Fornell announced. "Gibbs doesn't pay you to sleep."

Tony jerked awake, McGee opened his eyes and straightened, and Ziva lifted her head from the desk in jolt, her hand on her gun.

"Like we care what the FBI thinks." Tony yawned getting to his feet. "You go home every night."

"Not as often as you might think, DiNozzo." Fornell retorted. "You find Gibbs and Salem Bricker yet?"

"Not yet." McGee began tapping away at his computer after a long yawn. "Abby's running the samples, Ducky's doing the autopsy on Ron Evans."

Tony stopped suddenly. "You look way too smug to be looking for answers. You know something, Fornell?"

Fornell smiled. "Got Mrs. Thompson, Mrs. Solis, and Mrs. Meyers in custody. They rolled over on one another quick enough once we showed up at the compound on Red Herring Company property in rural Virginia. We're rounding the rest of White Ghost up as we speak."

McGee frowned then smiled. "So you found Gibbs then?"

Fornell hesitated. "No. He escaped yesterday from the compound in the late afternoon hours according to the wives. Miss Bricker showed up before the others could do anything with him."

DiNozzo slammed his hand on his desk and pointed at Ziva. "I knew she was involved!"

"She was able to get Gibbs out, I doubt she's working with them nor is she a client." Fornell began walking towards the elevator. "We've got bigger problems."

Tony, Ziva and McGee frowned at Fornell. The FBI agent walked back towards the elevator.

Ziva grabbed hr field bag and gun and followed after Fornell. "What kind of problems?"

He pressed the button at the elevator. "I'll tell you on the way."

Tony and McGee rushed to join Fornell and Ziva at the elevator before the door opened. They stepped in after Fornell. The doors closed just as Abby appeared in the Squad Room.

Abby looked around the empty Squad Room. "Now where did they all go? I only just finished."

She pouted then twirled and headed back towards her lab.

**Chapter Forty-One**

The morning was bright, sunny, and dry. Gibbs led the way through the forest with Salem close behind him. They covered ground quickly heading towards the east. Birds overhead suddenly took flight from the trees.

Gibbs stopped quietly, Salem halted behind him. His eyes focused on the birds flight direction heading the same way they were. Salem reached down into one of her pockets and pulled out a knife. She handed Gibbs the knife. He accepted the knife and slid into his waist beneath his shirt.

Gibbs quickly surveyed around them. "We're being followed."

"I figured that since we got out a little too easily yesterday." Salem smirked. "There wasn't anyone in the halls when I arrived."

"Come on." Gibbs rushed forward then paused in mid-step.

There was a sound on the stillness. Gibbs paused then dove to his left as Salem dove right. The tree they were rounding exploded. Both scrambled to their feet and began running through the forest in a zig-zag pattern.

Minutes passed.

They came to a large river with rushing water and rapids. Gibbs turned as Salem reached him. He heard the gunshot echo first. Salem spun around pushing him into the river. She flailed left then fell off the large rock into the water. Gibbs surfaced quickly finding his feet. He climbed onto the rocks and onto the grass.

"Salem?" He called out in a near whisper.

Gibbs found only water where she fell. He looked up to find a figure dressed in white coat, white boots, white gloves, white ski mask came out from behind the large tree. She held a sniper rifle barrel at him about fifty feet from him. Her eyes were trained and cold. Gibbs winced feeling the lack of coffee in the morning. He held his hands up.

Gibbs called out. "Who are you?"

"Where's Salem Bricker?" The female voice demanded.

Gibbs nodded towards the river. "You shot her."

The figure huffed. "I missed her head."

Gibbs felt the knife at his waist given to him by Salem this morning. "Are you the special client?" He watched the woman for an opening.

"Of course." She smiled and moved forward. "I don't see her."

She pointed the rifle at Gibbs intending to fire. Gibbs reached towards the knife at his waist. A gun barrel was placed at his left temple then. There was a finger pulling the cock of the revolver back to fire. Gibbs halted, his hands out to his sides.

"I wouldn't do that, Agent Gibbs." Derek Martens took the knife from the extended hand and rounded Gibbs to face him.

"Derek?" Gibbs frowned in agitation. "You're involved?"

He shook his head. "Not at first." He held the gun firmly in his grip. "But things changed after I was abducted.

Gibbs narrowed his eyes. "She offered you something to help her, didn't she?"

Derek smiled. "Salem."

Gibbs frowned again then looked at the white figure walking towards them then back to Derek.

"You wanted her for yourself?" There was anger in Gibbs' eyes. "You killed your friend for his sister?"

Derek shook his head and nodded towards the white figure. "She killed James, not me! How could I resist the offer? She's a rather unique woman. But of course you know that. I know about your little display the other night to get our attention."

Gibbs smirked. "Jealous I got farther than you did?"

Derek tackled Gibbs.

The gun flew out of his hand and the knife fell into the tall grass. Derek and Gibbs exchanged blows as they rolled towards the river. The white figure moved closer and readied the rifle. She pointed the rifle at Gibbs but their hand-to-hand combat was difficult to train on just one target.

A knife spun through the air as the white figure pulled the trigger. The knife hit the white figure in the shoulder, the barrel pointed upward as it went off. The white figure fell over in agony, blood oozing out of the wound.

**Chapter Forty-Two**

Ziva, DiNozzo, McGee, and Fornell pushed through the forest from the road where a motorcycle was uncovered with guns drawn. Other FBI agents flanked them as they moved through the forest.

Fornell began. "This is the only direction they could've come in once they made they're escape."

"This is the only road closest to the compound." Ziva pointed out for DiNozzo and McGee. "If Salem came through and left the motorcycle as an escape route, they'll be coming our way."

They heard the riffle shots off in the distance.

"They're close." DiNozzo began running through the forest.

McGee checked his PDA. "There's a river running through here according to the map about a quarter mile from our location. Looks like there's a foot bridge across the river an eighth of the mile up the river."

Tony mumbled in the lead. "I bet Gibbs will have everything under control by the time we get there." Tony sighed annoyed his eyes trained on the forest in front of him. "He never leaves me anything to do."

McGee stumbled finding his balance quickly. Ziva paused to make sure McGee got back on track. Fornell caught up to DiNozzo covering ground fast his eyes patrolling back and forth surveying the forest ahead.

**Chapter Forty-Three**

Gibbs continued his battle with Derek Martens, the two men exchanging blows back and forth. The white figure pulled the knife out of the Kevlar vest showing through the rip in the white coat at the shoulder. She got to her feet pissed off.

Salem emerged from the forest behind the white figure. Once she crawled out of the water, she went around the backside of the confrontation to get around the enemy. She bled at the upper arm from where the bullet grazed her.

"Now it's my turn." Salem whispered.

The white figure barely evaded the roundhouse kick but left the rifle on the ground. Salem and the white figure engaged in hand-to-hand using martial arts combat. They were evenly matched skill-wise.

Gibbs shoved Derek over several rocks next to the water. The younger sailor grimaced as the sharp angles cut into his back. Gibbs watched Martens get to his feet slightly dazed. Gibbs gripped Derek's collar and pulled him into the air. He slammed Derek into the river among the submerged rocks.

Derek lay still in the water for several moments. Gibbs felt his breath deepen once his exertion stopped, his chest expanding and contracting quickly. Slowly, Martens began to stir.

Sure the Lieutenant would not move anytime soon, Gibbs turned to find Salem dispensing with the white figured woman with several thrusts of the arm and a jab to the nose with the other arm.

Gibbs smiled watching the fight. "Clearly Seal."

The white figure fell backward and her head hit a rock knocking her out. The white figure went limp. Salem pulled several zip-ties from a leg pocket and tied the white figure's hands and feet together.

Gibbs joined her for more zip-ties for Martens. He took some from Salem and returned to Derek Martens. Gibbs quickly tied Martens hands together and pulled the dazed man from the water dragging him over the rocks and into the grass. Salem came to help him once she completed her task with the white figured woman.

"Not bad." Gibbs commented.

Salem smiled and replied. "For a girl?"

Gibbs looked over at Salem. "I find you quite capable, Miss Bricker."

"James taught me everything he knew." Salem turned to Gibbs. "I thought I told you to call me, Salem, Agent Gibbs."

"Salem." Gibbs corrected. "I thought I told you to call me, Jethro?"

"Old fashioned, aren't you?" Salem shook her head.

Gibbs walked back over to the white figure and bent down. He squatted and removed the white figure's mask. Salem right behind him stumbled backwards with her hands covering her face. The woman underneath the white ski mask looked just like her.

"What the hell is going on?" Salem looked at Gibbs.

Gibbs looked over his shoulder at her. "It appears you have a twin."

Salem recovered enough to speak in a composed voice. "I can see that."

"Your parent's accident was no accident, Salem." Gibbs stood up and approached Salem taking her by the shoulders.

Salem looked into his eyes demanding answers silently. "She killed my parents?"

Gibbs sighed. "I read the official report from the accident. It was clear to the police the vehicle was sabotaged. The brake lines were cut before they left the restaurant. If I had to guess, she's been tracking you for some time."

Tears welled up in Salem's eyes. "I was supposed to go with them that night. I got sick last minute from dinner. My brother burned the chicken but I ate it anyway to make him happy. James screwed up dinner to get our parents out on a date. The reason they went to dinner."

Gibbs kept his voice soft. "You would've died that night had you gone, Salem. There's nothing you could've done."

"Did James know?" Salem asked point blank.

Gibbs hugged Salem. "My guess is he found out later. Once he started trailing the White Ghost ring, Derek's neighbors, he discovered her along the way following you. He informed his superiors of his find. There's a report in his personal file he made last year."

Salem pulled away from Gibbs to look into his face. "But he didn't tell me."

Derek stirred but settled again.

"Gibbs!" Tony felt relieved he was alive.

A very wet Tony DiNozzo appeared from the forest off to their left from up river. McGee, Ziva, and Fornell arrived shortly afterwards with weapons drawn.

"I'm fine, DiNozzo." Gibbs noted the look on Tony's face.

"Not in that get up, boss." Tony winced at his opinion.

Gibbs glared at DiNozzo.

"I'd have to agree." Fornell smiled shortly. "You look like crap, Jethro."

"Thanks." Gibbs glared at Fornell.

Gibbs looked down at the tatters of his black shirt torn open exposing part of his chest, his pants were ripped at the ankles, and his arms were moderately scratched. Despite his lack of usual attire, all in all, he decided it was not a bad day. He looked at DiNozzo and glared at him.

Ziva squinted at the woman on the ground then back up to Salem. "She's a twin?"

Salem shrugged. "I never knew."

"So it was her I talked to at the café and not you." Ziva pointed at Salem astonished she did not piece the clues together. "I thought you changed your outfit."

"Who are you?" Salem asked quizzically.

"Agent David." She smiled. "I talked to you after you left First Union Bank."

"I went to another bank after First Union." Salem frowned. "I used an alley as a shortcut. I must've lost you there."

Salem stood staring at the woman on the ground fascinated there was someone else in the world with her same face. Gibbs placed a hand on her shoulder and escorted her away.

McGee and DiNozzo cuffed a groggy Derek Martens and lifted him off the ground. Ziva collected weapons for forensics.

Fornell fell into step beside Gibbs with Salem.

**Chapter Forty-Four**

Gibbs stared at the interior structure of his boat holding a coffee mug of bourbon. The cross braces are the only thing in place spatially separated at regular intervals that were held together with large clamps and wide unfinished wooden planks for the small row boat.

He appeared lost in thought and lowered his mug. The bourbon in the glass remained untouched. That was a first for him.

Footsteps across the floor were heard. Gibbs lifted his head to find Salem Bricker standing at the base of the stairs. She wore a black coat with boots and tank top. She watched him closely.

"You really should lock your doors." Salem pointed up stairs. "Who knows what might walk in?"

Gibbs smiled and walked over to her. "You're okay?"

He lifted a hand to touch the scratches on her face. She looked into his eyes. Salem maintains a solemn expression.

"It's been a bit rough finding out I have a sister who killed my brother because she was pissed off she was abducted as a kid." She shook her head. "I can't imagine the anger she must've felt. But to blame my parents who…" She took a deep breath. "It doesn't matter. Agent Fornell took her into custody."

"Derek won't be bothering you anytime soon, either." Gibbs reminded her.

"Funny, I never thought Derek would stoop so low." Salem frowned in mild agony over the betrayal. "Course, I never thought he saw me as anything but his best friend's sister." She paused again. "Wow, there's a lot to think about."

"Happens when you grow up." Gibbs kept his voice soft.

"Shame James tried to keep me from doing just that too. He was my brother so I guess I have to forgive him."

"Your parents were told you're sister died as an infant." Gibbs thought about Kelly. "Before they left the hospital with you. Several nurses were involved with the smuggling ring. They were caught three years after you and your sister were born."

"They, my parents, mentioned her before a few times." Salem shook her head at the memories. "They didn't even have any pictures outside the hospital. I knew it devastated my mother. It took her a long time to face it."

Gibbs sighed knowing the full story now. "A mother never gets over it."

"What hurts is that it's all about money." Salem shook her head. "Children sold in black market child trafficking. Many children disappear each year and get sold to desperate couples around the world." She crossed her arms over her abdomen. "You never think it'll happen to you. Sickens me to think about it."

Gibbs looked to her. "Where are you going now?"

She shrugged. "Not sure. James and I lived in military housing back in San Diego. He did like to keep things simple. Not sure how he pulled it off my living with him. Guess I'm homeless now."

He nodded. "NCIS could use your talents."

She closed the distance between them. Her face upturned to look into his face and she smiled genuinely up at him. Salem appeared quite amused.

"Is that an official invite, Agent Gibbs?" Salem kissed him on the cheek.

He accepted it willingly. "Maybe."

"I have a lot to do before I decide my future. But I'll keep my options open." Salem folded her arms. "Am I ever going to get my steak and apology?"

Gibbs smiled again and then kissed her on the forehead.

Salem looked up as he kissed her forehead. "I didn't think so. You don't seem the type to apologize to anyone anyway." She paused. "Take care of yourself, Agent Gibbs."

Gibbs looked at her while she backed away from him. "If you change your mind, you have my number."

Salem smiled then laughed lightly. She nodded then turned towards the stairs. His eyes trailed after her as she climbed the stairs and disappeared through the door. Gibbs smiled after she left.

THE END


	7. Episode 3: One Part 1

**NCIS Season 9**

**Episode 9.3.1 **

**ONE**

**By: Lady JenDragon**

**Disclaimer: **Yes, yes, yes, I know, I don't own NCIS and the characters created for the show. Whew! It's over…I can move on now.

**Author Notes: **Thank you to all who have reviewed. Let me know what you think.

* * *

**ONE**

**PART ONE**

**Chapter One**

The park was a bit brisk this time of night but that often did not bother couples out for an early evening stroll after a romantic dinner. Rock Creek Park was often used by returning sailors as rendez-vous points for loved ones for pick ups and to drop off. The park was often seen brimming with couples out after dark looking for a little adventure.

However, tonight only a few couples were out and about.

Lieutenant Jarrod Michales walked arm in arm with his wife, Janice Michales, discussing family. He wore his dark dress uniform since he just returned from deployment in the Red Sea. Janice was dressed formally in a champagne colored dress that hung to her ankles out from beneath the thick black faux fur coat she wore as if on a date. Her hair was pulled into a French twist, gold dangled from her ears and sparkled around her neck.

"And my mother insists we visit at Christmas." Michael reminded his wife.

Janice rolled her eyes and replied in a drawl. "You're mother's highly demanding."

Michael smiled. "Yes, yes, she is."

They walked past a garbage can near where the pathway met the forest line. A dark form was barely visible in the shadows at the base of the can. A shape that made the couple stop to look closer. Clearly it did not belong there.

Janice moved closer only to be stopped by her husband. "What's that?"

Jarrod Michales approached the garbage cautiously. He pulled the waste can from its place on the pathway, metal screeching loudly across the cement. Janice covered her ears from the noise, Her husband grimaced from the exertion. Michael took a closer look then shifted his face towards his wife. Her hands covered her horrified face.

A male body clad in army colors lay on the ground face up with a bloodied neck. His eyes were open and cloudy looking up towards the sky. A clear gash from side to side nearly severed the head from the body. It appeared the body was laid down behind the waste can.

**Chapter Two**

NCIS vans were parked behind one another on the grassy area away from the scene near the pathway. Police cars blocked the alley at each end. Officers work the scene and keep by-standers away from the crime scene.

Ducky Mallard and Jimmy Palmer squatted next to the body ahead of Gibbs and his team's arrival. It was odd they arrived first but then the call came to him almost immediately before others were called to the scene. The body was found by a couple who he knew through their mother on the husband's side.

Michael Michales sounded shaken when he answered the phone. Ducky admitted it was not often someone called him in the middle of the night not associated with NCIS or some other federal agency. Work beckoned him to rush to Rock Creek Park in the early hours. Once he called Palmer and instructed the young man to fetch the truck and arrive at Rock Creek Park, all would be explained. Jimmy responded immediately and without question.

Ducky arrived just after the police were summoned around eight. He informed Michael to go through proper channels and call nine-one-one. Michael was a good boy and did as he was ordered. A good soldier. It was at that moment he called Jethro to inform him of what occurred this evening.

He glanced over his shoulder at Gibbs talking with the first on-scene officer, Jameson. Ducky smiled then returned his attention to the body. There was little he could do now with his assessment already made. He had more questions than answers.

Once on site, Tony, McGee and Ziva took photos, bagged & tagged every detail they could find, and sketched the crime scene. It was eerily efficient the way those three worked together. Ducky huffed slightly realizing that they worked together for almost seven years. Jimmy arrived by his side with the gurney.

"We shall wait for the team to do their thing, I think, Mr. Palmer." Ducky got to his feet. "No use rushing the process. Our friend isn't going anywhere."

"Except home with us." Jimmy replied. He suddenly looked at Dr. Mallard alarmed. "I didn't mean that to sound the way…"

Ducky held his hand up and shook his head. "I know what you meant. Let's get out of their way, shall we?"

Palmer immediately walked across the pathway and onto the grass. He stopped about twenty feet from the crime scene and turned to wait. He folded his hands careful not to touch his gloved hands to his overalls. Ducky walked over to Palmer quite amused the young lad still took him quite literally when his request was viewed as an order.

Jimmy watched Dr. Mallard in quiet. "Are you okay, Dr. Mallard?"

"I'm afraid, quite good, Mr. Palmer." Ducky glanced at his young assistant. "Why do you ask?"

"You seem a little quiet sir." Palmer hesitated. "A bit more than usual."

Ducky smiled. "It is amazing people don't listen to their instincts more often. I never understand why people go down alleyways or park pathways at night without thought to safety. Haven't there been enough movies to keep people away from such dark places."

Palmer stared at Dr. Mallard quizzically then smiled nervously. "Of course there is but people don't actually think about dark alleyways in real life. Most people don't remember movies when they're walking along on a romantic date."

Ducky stiffened. "Thank you Mr. Palmer for clarifying that for me. A little common sense would go a long way to keep people safe."

Gibbs walked over to Ducky and Palmer. "What do we have, Duck?"

"Not much, I'm afraid." "Our Private Vincent Nash, according to the dog tags I found, was slashed from ear to ear at a steep angle. Both carotids were cut nearly clean to the bone. He died rather quickly."

Gibbs found something odd about Ducky tonight but did not press. "Aggravated attack?"

Ducky nodded. "Certainly seems like it. Whoever did this came at him from the front then rotated around and finished the job from the back in one fluid motion. There's a lot of anger in this attack, Jethro."

"Any sign of defensive wounds?" Gibbs wrote in his notepad.

Jimmy Palmer got the signal from McGee that the body could be moved. He walked briskly back towards the scene. Another officer would help load the body since Dr. Mallard was in no condition to help. Palmer decided it was best to leave Dr. Mallard alone with Gibbs and his thoughts.

He shook his head. "None." Ducky glanced over at Michael Michales talking with DiNozzo. "No bruising, no scratches or gashes. If they fought, the private used his hands to keep the assailant from him without leaving a single mark."

Gibbs frowned slightly. "Attacker was weaker than him?"

"Possibly." He felt tired suddenly. "Unless the private was the assailant and the actual victim remains out there bleeding to death."

"Not with this slash in his neck." Gibbs glanced at the body being laid on the gurney. "If his victim turned the tables, then I doubt we'll find them in an emergency room. There's no secondary blood trails leading from the scene. Thanks Duck."

"Anytime. I'll know more once I get him back home." Ducky moved back towards the crime scene. "There might be something we missed."

"Keep at it." Gibbs left him and headed back towards the scene.

**Chapter Three**

The next morning, Gibbs walked off the elevator towards his desk, his coffee gripped tightly in his hand. An inattentive woman on her cellphone slammed into his shoulder coming out of a shop and spilled his coffee before he had his first sip. She politely apologized and went on her way without another word. He had to go back to the coffee shop.

Annoyed, Gibbs sat at his desk. He tapped a few keys hard at his computer then waited for the screen to change. Sensing the brooding mood of their leader neither Ziva nor McGee attempted to say anything. Tony was apparently absent from the squad room.

Gibbs looked up and waited silently. No sigh, no breath escaped him. His eyes grazed McGee then shifted icily to Ziva.

Ziva jumped first. "Private First Class Vincent James Nash was on leave when he was attacked. His CO has high regards for him. No problems with anyone in his unit and no issues with anger. He made friends with everyone he met. Would help his brothers out when they were lagging behind. His CO expected him to be promoted quickly."

McGee added. "Nothing incriminating on his record either. Enlisted just out of high school. Never owned a car. He has 538 friends on Facebook, no family other than parents in Connecticut Street here in Washington, only child born on March 31, 1992. Pretty clean cut."

"A bit too clean." Gibbs turned to McGee. "Keep digging."

McGee nodded and tapped at the keyboard fervently. "Right, boss."

Gibbs paused and looked at Tony's desk. "Where's DiNozzo?"

"Stuck in traffic." Ziva refrained from smiling. "So he says."

"When he gets here, Ziva, take him with you to inform the family." Gibbs stood up from his desk. "Make sure he does all the talking."

Gibbs exited the squad room heading past McGee's desk towards Abby's Laboratory and the morgue.

**Chapter Four**

The dark blue Dodge Charger screeched to the curb. Tony got out of the passenger side agitated and flushed. Ziva exited the driver's side happily dangling the keys for Tony to hear.

Tony slammed the door shut hard. "Did you have to drive like that?"

Ziva smiled evilly. "Gibbs gave me the keys since you were late. Next time, I suggest you show up on time if you want to drive."

They walked towards the front door up the cement walk. The house was a one-story single-family bungalow with white siding and white windows. Black shutters bordered the windows adding a little charm to the box house. There were four stairs leading up to the small but quaint front porch.

Tony continued with his morning rant. "So I woke up late! Power went out during the night…again! It happens now and then!" Straining his voice. "Geez, why can't I get a break around here?"

"No one died, Tony." Ziva rolled her eyes walking beside him.

Tony mumbled quietly. "I almost died…of a heart attack."

They reached the front porch and climbed the stair. Ziva moved forward and pressed the doorbell. It echoed throughout the house. Seconds passed and the lock on the door unbolted. A woman about sixty-five opened the door to the two and smiled slightly.

"Can I help you?" Inquired the woman.

Ziva looked to Tony, he glowered at her. She smiled and mouthed 'Gibbs' and pointed towards the door. Tony tried to refrain from getting angry but his face contorted into an angry troll then quickly gave way to the professional agent.

'NCIS." Tony took out his credentials and flashed them. "Agents DiNozzo and David."

"Why would the Navy be on my doorstep?" The woman was curious now.

"Mrs. Nash?" Ziva waited for the nod they were at the right house. "Your son, Private Vincent Nash, lives here?"

"When he's not deployed." Mrs. Nash stepped onto the porch. "Did Vinny do something wrong?"

Ziva glanced at DiNozzo as Tony spoke in a calm and solemn voice. "We need to speak to you inside, Mrs. Nash."

She ushered them inside as Ziva watched Tony break the news to Mrs. Nash about her son found dead in Rock Creek Park. The woman nearly fell as emotion took hold. She quickly walked to the living room to find solace on the sofa in front of the window.

The living room was large with two sofas on either side of a large fireplace against the far wall. There was an area rug spread between the sofas without touching either one. A heavy wood coffee table was placed in the center with fresh flowers in a square vase. The fireplace mantle contained many family portraits in various frames grouped together cataloging the life and times of the Nash family. There were large landscape paintings hanging on every wall.

Ziva and DiNozzo sat on the sofa across from Mrs. Nash.

"Where's Mr. Nash?" Tony asked.

Mrs. Nash smiled weakly and explained. "He's off on a hunting trip with his friends. Since he retired, he's been going everywhere on some trip here or there. But they go hunting every year at this time. Are you sure it's Vincent?"

"We matched his DNA this morning." Ziva offered. "We wanted to know if he was having any trouble with anyone. Friends, members of his unit, other family members?"

Mrs. Nash whimpered holding back her tears. "I'm so…sorry. I just never expected him to…die this way. I was always afraid he'd die in Iraq, you know. Vincent wanted to go to college, study electronics and computers."

Ziva repeated her question. "Did you know of any problems with friends, members of his unit, or any girlfriends?"

Mrs. Nash paused. "None I can think of."

"Did you meet any of his friends?" DiNozzo kept his voice a respectable tone.

She shook her head. "He rarely brought anyone home with him. There was a boy, Private George, one of his friends from his unit. Brought him to dinner a few months ago. I don't know if they're still friends. I haven't seen them together and Vincent never mentioned him lately."

"We're they stationed locally?" Ziva glanced around the room.

Mrs. Nash shrugged distraughtly. "I'm not sure. I don't keep track of bases. It took me a whole day to find out where to go for his graduation from boot camp."

"Did he discuss his work with you?" Tony added.

Mrs. Nash shook her head. "Vincent didn't talk about his life with me. I'm afraid I usually didn't ask either. I don't press for details. I figured if he wanted to tell me, he would confide in me. He didn't like talking about himself much."

Tony handed her his card as he stood. "If you remember anything, let us know."

Ziva followed suit and began walking towards the door. Her heart gave a lurch for the wife and mother grieving for her son. Even after doing this a few years now, it never got easier with each one. Families would always respond the same way.

Grief then anger then a desire to see justice. All of those were there in Mrs. Nash's eyes. Ziva knew how they all felt. She experienced them one too many times to forget. Tony exited the house seconds after she did. However at a glance, his thoughts were on something entirely different. His expression was one of suspicion.

**Chapter Five**

Minutes later they were back in the sedan at the curb watching Mrs. Nash close the door. It was clear the woman was genuinely upset about the death of her son. Tony narrowed his eyes from the passenger seat. Ziva sat in the driver seat.

Tony looked to Ziva. "Did that strike you as odd?

Ziva nodded at him then glanced at the house understanding his line of thinking now. "A mother who knew nothing about her son? Very strange indeed. I would want to know everything my child was getting into."

"Either mom didn't get involved or her son's working on something classified." Tony grimaced hating he had more questions than answers.

Ziva shrugged. "Nothing in his file mentioned being attached to a classified mission. He was a private only a few months out of boot camp."

Tony nodded getting to his point. "Exactly!" He pointed a finger upwards. "No private first class would be assigned to a top secret mission so soon after boot camp. Which means he was doing something on the side."

Ziva raised her eyebrows in agreement. "And illegal."

Tony smiled and ordered. "To the Batcave, Robin!"

"I am not a Robin nor do I hang out in bat caves." Ziva pointed out.

Tony rolled his eyes then his head. "Batman? The series? The horrible string of movies only to be followed by the most awesome of retellings in Batman Begins and The Dark Knight?"

"I've seen one of those." Ziva tapped her lips with a finger. "I think."

His ego deflated, Tony ordered. "Drive."

Ziva started the engine and peeled away from the curb.

**Chapter Six**

The stripped corpse laid out on the table was already cut, dissected and the skin pulled back to expose the interior. Dr. Mallard peered into the body of Private First Class Vincent Nash. He appeared perplexed with Jimmy Palmer standing on the other side of the table from him pulling the right lung out and walked over to weigh it.

Ducky shook his head and spoke in a gentle voice to the corpse. "I'm afraid someone had a vendetta against you, my friend. Your wounds were deep and angry. But let me ask you a question. What were you doing in that dark park last night? Meeting someone you weren't supposed to young man?"

Ducky jumped at the, "Find anything, Duck?"

He looked up to find Gibbs standing across the table across from him. Once again, Jethro's soft feet failed to be detected by his once excellent ears. Everyone else made strong noises against the floor he knew by sound. Ducky smiled at the new coffee held in Jethro's right hand. He could smell the aroma of the Jamaican blend that seemed to Gibbs' choice of late.

Ducky smiled ever so slightly. "I didn't even hear you come in, Jethro."

"Got anything?" Gibbs reiterated his question.

Ducky shook his head. "Just a long cut from ear to ear and very deep. Almost decapitated our Private Nash. Strange that he was taken by surprise so easily."

Gibbs responded. "Army not Marine."

Ducky paused to look at Jethro in partial astonishment. "Not biased are you?" Jethro remained quiet so he continued. "Anyway, our private died within seconds of his throat being slit. Based on my expertise and years of experience, someone wanted him dead rather quickly. Death was at seven pm last night according to the thermometer."

"An hour before you got the call?" Gibbs noted. "Any fibers?"

Ducky shook his head disappointedly. "None. Not so much as a fingerprint on first inspection either. I sent Abby all the clothing in case I missed something. I sent tissue samples from the cut for anything the weapon left behind."

"So you got nothing conclusive?" Gibbs stared at Ducky oddly.

He smiled wider this time. "Crime scene was intact when you arrived. I'd talk to Abby, she may have more than I do at the moment." Jethro perked up he noted. "She's back from the Forensics Conference in Hawaii."

Ducky smiled at Jethro's expression. Abby's departure last Friday on a very, and suspicious, last second to attend the NCIS Forensics Conference in Kona, Hawaii was a surprise to everyone. Her request was granted by Director Vance without letting Agent Gibbs know he would be missing his forensic analyst for a few days if a case came up. That made the supervising special agent extremely angry at first.

All one had to do was watch how Jethro walked to know that Vance got under his skin again. Jethro appeared overly irritated but did nothing. He did, however, leave a message on Abby's phone to call him the minute she returned. Ducky knew Jethro would never stay mad at Abby for leaving him. Abby talked about wanting to go to past conferences and never got to attend since cases got in the way. This was really her only chance.

Gibbs breathed. "My lucky day."

Gibbs walked out of autopsy. Ducky moved to the private's mouth and head. He decided to do a more thorough check of every orifice in case they missed something on the first run.

"Now." Ducky bent over the private's head. "You'll have to tell me something soon. We won't be able to catch who did this to you if you keep secrets."

Jimmy Palmer frowned at the scale and turned to glance at Ducky Mallard. His expression turned to one of concern.

**Chapter Seven**

Abby stood in front of her computer in the prep area watching the screen with stone eyes trying to avoid blinking. Both hands tapped away at the keyboard blindly as the plasma screen opened four charts showing various results: chemical analysis, two photos and a phone record.

Gibbs walked into the lab at that moment. He stopped when he realized there was no music playing. Glancing over into her office, Gibbs smirked before moving towards her. He halted next to her looking at the computer screen.

"What have you got Abs?" He said in an almost whisper.

"Gibbs!" Abby jumped both excitedly and shocked to find him there.

She hesitated then Abby hugged Gibbs excitedly. He avoided spilling his coffee by holding his arm out as her arms trapped him. Gibbs patted Abby on the back and then kissed the top of her head. He smiled automatically and gingerly drank from his coffee.

"I get it, you're happy to be back." Gibbs smile continued. "You weren't gone that long."

Abby let him go suddenly looking pouty and returned to her computer. "Aren't you happy I'm back? You sounded so mad on the phone."

Gibbs kept his voice low. "Ecstatic." Then he rolled his eyes. "No, I wasn't mad. You left without telling me."

Abby smiled and returned to tapping away on the keyboard bouncing her head back and forth to unheard music. "Awe, I didn't realize you'd take it so hard."

Gibbs sighed. "Abby…"

Abby turned to him. "I was only gone three days to Hawaii, Gibbs." She smiled shortly and continued. "Well…plus the two days for traveling there and back. You know I hate the sun, Gibbs. It was everywhere, I couldn't escape it. I so missed the DC gloom while I was there. Another thing, I didn't know I could hate traveling on a plane so much until I got on Aloha Airlines at John Wayne Airport. It's in Orange County, California. They made me take off my shoes twice."

Gibbs smiled then shook his head slightly. He sighed deeply and his voice became more authoritative. "Abby?"

She continued her diatribe. "What? No 'how did the forensics conference in Hawaii go'?" She turned towards him abruptly. "Is Tony still angry I wouldn't let him come with me?"

He sighed and gave in. "How did the conference go, Abby?"

She cheered immediately. "Awesome!" Abby raised both hands in the air if scoring a touchdown. "I met Dr. Hature finally! You know, the one scientist I go to, and responds to my every email, when I'm usually stumped about cases? 'Hach' is what she prefers to be called." Abby's hands clenched into fists as she raised them towards the ceiling. "She's like this forensic goddess of NCIS stationed in Hawaii. And she's like really smart! I mean scary smart, Gibbs. I feel stupid when I'm with her." Abby paused to look at Gibbs. "Can you believe that? Me? Feel stupid? Anyway, she's been helping me track this serial killer named Perfecto the FBI's trying to catch. I know I've only been on the case for three weeks but I feel I really know him now. His MO keeps changing, well, at least I think it keeps changing. It's been so difficult to nail him down really evidence-wise. Hach has been instrumental in helping me catch this guy!"

Gibbs became impatient. "Abby!"

Abby holds her hands up near her eyes. "Right. Focus on the now, Abby. Ok, Ducky sent up some tissue samples. I ran it through master mass spectrometer and there's like no residue left in the wound. Looks like a serrated knife but I'm still running through options."

Gibbs looked at Abby then. "So you have nothing?"

"I can't believe it either." Abby saddened. "I go away and all I got is…nothing. This is the cleanest crime scene I've ever seen, Gibbs. Killer left no prints, no footprints, no tracks in the grass if he drove up, nothing to indicate how the body was dumped…all I know is that the body was not killed in the place where he was found."

Gibbs turned to walk out of the lab confounded. "Great."

Today was certainly not his day for finding answers.

**Chapter Eight**

McGee stared at his computer screen for quite some time, his expression appeared frozen in a perplexed and confused contortion. Ziva and DiNozzo long done with their tasks took to watching the junior field agent at work. They exchanged a few amused glances. Tony appeared deep in thought watching McGee.

"I think it's Elmer Fudd." Tony analyzed McGee's expression from his desk. "Like he's found the wabbit and it wain't getting' past him out of the hole!"

McGee rolled his eyes over to Tony from his screen.

"You scare me sometimes, Tony." Ziva said finally from her desk.

DiNozzo tilted his head then let his eyes fall over to look at Ziva. "You didn't watch Looney Tunes as a child?"

"I was practicing at the range." Ziva smiled and returned to her keyboard. "We didn't watch cartoons."

"Guys." McGee lifted his head. "Looks like Nash was a…stripper. Check this out."

DiNozzo got to his feet immediately and rushed over to McGee's desk. Ziva jumped up and ran over to join him from the opposite side. The three stared at the computer screen with interest. There was a MASTER STRIPPER website slogan for hiring men to dress up any party. All you had to do was call or send them an email about your event and someone would return your call or message. McGee hit the play button at the bottom of his screen and the cheesy music started.

Several pictures of men dancing in various costumes popped up then. The pictures stopped dancing and one photo popped up. There was a party with women seated in a circle with a Caucasian man dancing in the center. He danced pretty good to McGee. Then his clothes started coming off. Ziva watched with strong interest as the photo stopped moving just as the stripper went to remove his pants.

"Granny party." DiNozzo shivered. "They do love their strippers."

"Just cause they're old, doesn't mean a young man won't make them happy?" Ziva looked at Tony innocently. "When you're that age, you'll wish you could get it…"

"What did you find McGee?" Gibbs called out as he walked off the elevator.

"The extra cash in Nash's account came from his moonlighting as Galaxy Dexter." DiNozzo cringed at the video. "It seems he's a stripper on the side when he comes home."

"He works freelance on occasion." Ziva read the screen. "Guess his appointments come from the internet. Perspective renters can see a brief video of what he offers and can book him' now' at the touch of a button. Apparently he's quite popular." She bent down to read the bottom. "Over four million hits so far just on the photo alone."

McGee laughed. "Tony's fantasy."

"To get one hit?" Ziva narrowed her eyes at Tony. "Or to get hit once?"

Ziva and McGee both laugh. DiNozzo rolled his eyes and laughed silently. Tony made a face at them both and returned to watching the sample video on McGee's screen. The three appeared fascinated by the video not realizing Gibbs was watching them.

"Did he have any appointments, DiNozzo?" Gibbs noted the two standing together behind McGee.

"Still looking into it, boss." Tony rushed over to his desk.

"Giles Darr runs the website." McGee announced. "I'll have an address shortly."

"DiNozzo, Ziva, track Giles down." Gibbs with coffee in hand walked past them.

Ziva nodded heading back to her desk. Fun was over for now it was time to get back to work. She rounded her desk and slid into her chair. Instantly she brought up the computer screen and began a search on Giles Darr. If she knew any better, Tony would find his address first since he got a few seconds head start.

**Chapter Ten **

Tony and Ziva walked up to the front of an old house, one-story hidden behind a plethora of bushes, trees and flowers left to grow wild in the front yard. The wooden semi-private fence around the property stood almost eight feet tall hiding the place from the rest of the oval-shaped cul-de-sac. Since it was at the far end of the cul-de-sac no one complained of the decrepit appearance of the place. Few knew people lived there let alone someone of interest to NCIS.

They pushed through the front gate and found the walkway was overgrown. Abandoning hope to find the front door, they opted for a side door from the open driveway. No cars were parked on the cracked cement. It led to towards the back, a single door halfway down the length of the house indicated it was the entrance used most by the occupants.

"Come on." Tony urged. "This place gives me the creeps already."

"A little yard work, it would be cute." Ziva countered. "Nothing wrong with a little bush whacking."

Tony grimaced. "It's weed whacking. Bush whacking is a whole other sport."

Ziva frowned in confusion as she followed Tony up the concrete driveway towards the door. Her mouth mimicked 'weed whacking' and 'bush whacking'. She finally said. "They're the same thing."

Tony froze and turned to Ziva. "Bush whacking is mostly associated with Aussies. However, at college." He smiled fondly of the memories. "It meant going to the sorority houses and…"

Ziva slapped him up side the head abruptly. "You're disgusting!"

"It was college." Tony smiled wider then got serious. "Let's find Mr. Darr shall we?"

Ziva walked beside DiNozzo the few steps to the side door. Tony reached out and opened the storm door and knocked hard on the glass several times. He waited a few seconds and repeated the action in hopes of catching the occupants attention.

A minute later, a rotund man of early forties came to the door in a filthy t-shirt, graying sweat pants, and loose green plaid robe. It appeared he had not shaved or showered in days when he opened the door to them. His hair had not been brushed in a few days wither. The smell emanating from the house was disgusting to say the least, Ziva thought.

"What you want?" Came the gruff voice.

"Mr. Giles Darr?" Tony held off say anything more.

"Yeah, I'm Giles Darr." Giles nodded. "What's cops want with me?"

Tony reached in and took out his credentials from his inside pocket flashing them as he spoke. "Special Agent DiNozzo, Agent David of NCIS. We need to ask you a few questions about Galaxy Dexter of Master Stripper."

Ziva flashed her credentials as well. Giles thought for a moment and nodded he knew the Master Stripper site. The smile let them know he remembered something about the site.

"Anything you can tell us about Vincent Nash?" Tony asked first.

"Paid me on time and always higher than my other clients." Giles smiled showing off his poor dental hygiene. "Ran his own stripper website. Galaxy Dexter, I thought it was a stupid name but the ladies seem to like it. He prefers to dress like astronauts and stuff. Some of the older crowd really got into his routine. Not sure why he called his site Master Stripper. Guess he liked to dance as a kid."

"You just set up his website?" Ziva opened her notepad. "Were you in charge of the funds and payment options?"

"Nah." Giles rubbed his chin. "He had the money go directly to his account at some bank. All I do is maintain it and make sure the buttons work. Vincent kept me out of the loop completely on that. Don't blame him. Too many people looking to make an extra buck skimming off the top from their clients."

"You take off the top, Giles?" Tony asked suspiciously.

"Nah." He shook his head. "These days, strippers look closely at the books especially those running on-line businesses. Is Vincent okay?"

"He's dead." Ziva informed him. "We're trying to find out who had a vendetta against him."

"Damn." Giles appeared annoyed but sad as well. "Liked the guy. One of those guys you hope you work with. He wasn't the bastard and run with your money type. Always business-like and knew what he wanted. Shame he's gone. He always paid on time."

Ziva looked to Tony. They were not going to find much here. Clearly Giles Darr had respect for Galaxy Dexter the astronaut stripper. Strange to find Giles Darr likeable despite his outward appearance, Tony realized. He seemed a decent enough guy. This lead was a bust.

They thanked him for his time and left.

TO BE CONTINUED…


	8. Episode 3: One Part 2

**NCIS Season 9**

**Episode 9.3.2 **

**ONE**

**By: Lady JenDragon**

**Disclaimer: **Yes, yes, yes, I know, I don't own NCIS and the characters created for the show.

**Author Notes: **Unfortunately, my mother lost her battle with cancer in November so I've been away for a while. Hence the reason I have updated recently. Carry on.

* * *

**ONE**

**PART TWO **

**Chapter Eleven**

Ducky sat at the examination table looking through a file of papers neatly stacked into various piles. The file was spread out over the cleaned table sorted by category and evidence type. He closely read each document and placed them on a pile to his far right when he was done.

Gibbs walked in and halted.

"You visiting an old case, Duck?"

"As a matter of fact I am." Ducky did not bother to look up. "Thirty-four years ago I had the misfortune of running across Miss Dorothy Bonior, or Mrs. Dorothy Clanan to the newspapers."

"The General's wife?" Gibbs vaguely remembered the story.

Ducky raised an eyebrow at Jethro. "Famous for the wrong reasons. The case garnered coverage from all over the world. Mrs. Clanan was a most elegant and refined woman for her thirty-four years. Her husband of six months, General Terrence Clanan was found dead on the Dining Room floor while she was out shopping."

Gibbs walked to stand next to Ducky. "The wife do it?"

"Yes." He nodded. "She cut him ear to ear from the front using a very expensive and sharp steak knife. He had no defensive wounds. In fact he had an almost a surprise expression on his face at the time he died. Apparently he had been cheating on her for months with the maids in the house. That case challenged all of us, the first of its kind. It took us quite some time to prove she could actually use the knife as she did."

"Private Nash reminds you of this case?"

"Yes." Ducky's voice sounded grave. "Mrs. Clanan held the knife and lifted her wrist ever so slightly. Since the blade was so sharp, all she did was pull from left to right with just enough pressure to slice through his throat like butter."

Gibbs shuddered at the idea. "Divorces aren't the worst thing then."

"Yes, I'd agree with you." Ducky added. "She was cold and calculating. Safe to say, Miss Dorothy remains incarcerated without the possibility of parole."

"Copy cat?" Gibbs focused on the present case.

"Or someone knew how she did it." Ducky picked up another document. "I've been pouring over my notes. The wounds are almost identical, Jethro."

He looked up to find Jethro Gibbs gone.

"Glad I could help you out, Jethro." Ducky smiled.

**Chapter Twelve**

Gibbs walked up the stairs to the grand townhouse in Georgetown surprised by the grandeur of the building. It reminded him of former Director Jenny Sheppard's home before it burned down more than three years ago. He paused before ringing the doorbell.

A young woman opened the door. Her blonde hair and green eyes took him by surprise how mesmerizing a young lady could be. There was an unassuming kindness in her face. Gibbs shook his head and blinked at the smiling woman. She could not have been more than twenty-five. She would be slightly younger than…Gibbs left the thought unthunk.

"Miss Martha Bonior?" Gibbs flashed his badge and ID. "Special Agent Gibbs, NCIS."

Kelly read the badge and shook her head. "Oh no, I'm Kelly Clanan, her great niece. NCIS?" She asked confused. "What's that?"

"Naval Criminal Investigative Service." Gibbs responded. "I was hoping to ask Martha Bonior a few questions. Is she at home?"

Kelly Clanan stepped aside and let Agent Gibbs into the dark foyer. The foyer immediately opened into a most austere grand hall. The heavy woods from the mid-wall down gave a darkened appearance to the old house. Gibbs did not stray far from Kelly, preferring to keep her within visual range. He glanced around the grand hall that expanded to the back of the town house. A door to the right past the opening to the parlor off to his right was closed to what he suspected was a library or study. It appeared the fasod hid the fact that the house was two widths of a typically Georgetown house.

"Uh no." Kelly found she liked Agent Gibbs. "She's out with Christopher, the chauffeur at the moment. Off to tea at a friend's house if my memory serves. She'll be back around five. What's this about?"

He noted the name and continued. "Your great aunt Martha. I was hoping to hear her side of things."

"Oh, is this about the party?" Kelly felt a little flushed.

"Party?" Gibbs repeated.

"Yeah." Kelly seemed unphased by his long stare. "Last Saturday early evening after nap time, around six. It was a friend's bridal shower as I understand it. Great Aunt Martha became upset and wanted to come home immediately around seven thirty. Made a big deal about the whole night. She ranted and raved about how the world was unfair and crazy and that no one should have to endure such torture."

Gibbs glanced around for anyone else in the house. "She said all of this?"

"On her way home in the car." Kelly smiled sympathetically. "Since Christopher, our chauffeur, was off that day, I had to go and collect her from the party. It was a little embarrassing having an eighty-five year old woman cursing on about how cruel the world was at a bowling alley. Took security time to find my number. She never let up for an hour once we got home."

"Do you know why she got angry?"

"Something about a man at the party and taking his clothes off." Kelly shook her head. "I suspected he was drunk but I didn't get more details. Nor did I pay much attention. Once she sets off it's best to let her have it out. Great Aunt Martha's got a bit of a temper."

Gibbs glanced around the wealthy home. "Where was she last Thursday?"

Kelly thought for a moment. "I believe she was out at the opera. Yes, she was supposed to be seeing…what was the name of it." She thought for a moment but it was clear the name would not come.

"We'll check into that." Gibbs nodded. "Thank you."

"What's this have to do with my grandmother?"

"Why do you ask, Miss Clanan?"

"The day after the party, Martha went to see my grandmother." Kelly shook her head. "She left before I got up in the morning. She stayed most of the day and missed two appointments. Great Aunt Martha never misses appointments."

"Are you aware that your grandmother murdered you're grandfather?"

"And?" Kelly Clanan frowned. "I never met the woman. My mother refused to go near the prison after the trial. Grandmother never wanted my brother and I to see her without her dress and make-up anyway or so I was told."

Gibbs noted her expressions. "You seem bitter."

"My mother spent her whole life hiding me away from the world." Kelly looked at the floor. "I never understood why until Great Aunt Martha told me. I guess I was mad my own mother." didn't have the courage to tell me herself."

"Parenting is difficult." Gibbs stated.

"Sounds like experience, Agent Gibbs." Kelly looked at him directly.

"Sorry to hear that." Kelly shoved her hands into her pockets. "My mother died ten years ago, car crash. My brother was in the backseat when the car was rammed from the side. He barely lived and now he's at Berkeley out in California. For the longest time I hated my mother for keeping me away from my grandmother. She thought it was best to avoid the negative press." Kelly smirked. "Hardly worth losing sleep over. My mother thought what she did what was right. I can hardly fault her for it."

"I'm not the one to tell you how to feel, Miss Clanan." Gibbs turned to leave. "Thank you for your time."

"Thanks for listening." Kelly smiled. "It's nice to have someone listen who isn't part of the family."

"If you need anything, give me a call." He took out a card and handed it to Kelly.

She took the card and glanced at it then smiled at him weakly. Gibbs smiled in return, nodded and walked to the door. He left quietly and shut the front door after himself. There was a gentle nature to Kelly Clanan that left him unnerved.

Out on the sidewalk, Gibbs pulled out his cellphone and dialed a number. He spoke quietly as he returned to the car. He stepped off the curb, rounded the front and opened the driver's side door. As he spoke he slid behind the wheel. Upon closing the phone, Gibbs noted Kelly Clanan watching him from the front window from the left side of the grand hall where they stood talking. She appeared unhappy watching him. Sadly, her expression one of turmoil, she turned from the window when he started the vehicle and pulled away from the curb.

**Chapter Thirteen**

McGee stood with Abby in her laboratory staring at footage of the prison visitors room. They quickly dissected hours of visitation looking for one person in particular. For aging women, the Bonior and Clanan women moved well for their age.

"There!" McGee pointed. "Anyway to clean up the graininess?"

"I am the master of clean, McGee." Abby declared dangerously.

The photo began crystallize into a more clear version of itself. McGee and Abby eyed the photo closely looking for any missed pixels. They were perfectionists when it came to digital photo touch ups even with programs.

McGee tightened his fists. "We won't be able to read lips, but it does prove Martha Bonior was at the prison visiting when her niece said."

"And plotting Private Nash's death?" Abby asked with a conniving smile.

"Too bad they don't keep audio of the visits." McGee tapped away on the keyboard.

"Yeah." Abby sighed. "We got nothing."

"I wouldn't say 'nothing' just yet." Ducky called from the door.

McGee and Abby whipped around to face Ducky standing in the threshold of the laboratory. He walked in and set a sample jar down. Abby looked at him surprised. McGee frowned as he looked from Ducky to the sample jar and back.

"Sample?" Abby looked to Ducky longingly. "Tell me you found something."

"From Nash's mouth." Ducky smiled. "Looks like he got a good bite on the assailant. Nearly cracked his teeth biting down on it. I thought you could identify it, Abby."

"You rock, Ducky!" Abby skipped over to the sample jar and picked it up. "Ooh, a crystal! Come and talk to Abby!"

McGee rolled his eyes and swiveled around to get back to work. Ducky left the laboratory to return to his domain smiling at the forensic scientists' happiness of finally having something to analyze on the case.

**Chapter Fourteen**

Gibbs returned to the squad room, stepping off the elevator. He wanted to find out how far Ziva and DiNozzo got in their search. He hoped they had more to go on except an angry great aunt and a temper tantrum. So far nothing panned out with the physical evidence from the crime scene.

"DiNozzo." Gibbs said walking towards his desk.

"Boss." Tony stood up and clicked the remote for the plasma screen. "Looks like Great Aunt Martha Bonior is certainly Dorothy Bonior's sister. Dorothy Bonior spent three weeks at Bethesda for pneumonia last year. According to several nurses, Martha called every Thursday during visitation hours to talk to Dorothy about affairs of the family during the three-week stay. Quite a commanding lady even if she wears orange. Nothing odd in the financials I can see."

"There wouldn't be." Gibbs narrowed his eyes at the plasma screen. "It's not about money."

"Private Nash received a call on his cellphone from a payphone just outside Rock Creek Park the day after the party and three hours before time of death." Ziva sighed. "I went to the phone booth. It was wiped clean for any prints, not even a glove mark. I checked the surrounding buildings, no cameras in the area to record activities."

Gibbs remained silent.

"You think it's the sister?" Tony looked to Gibbs.

Gibbs shook his head. "I don't know what to think at the moment, DiNozzo. What's the tie between Nash and Clanan?"

"Nothing yet. We're still looking." Ziva responded. "McGee's with Abby going over financials, family history, and phone records."

Gibbs walked through the Squad Room heading towards Abby's laboratory.

**Chapter Fifteen **

Gibbs arrived at the lab just as the buzzers and bells went off. McGee sat at her computer going over records and looking at fine print. Abby slid to the mass spectrometer, then to the printer deep in thought and then ran back over to McGee to look at the results on the screen. Neither one noticed him standing drinking his coffee.

"Talk to me, baby!" Abby punched the keys excitedly.

McGee suddenly perked up as his eyes read over text from an old newspaper particle. He brought up a birth certificate and checked a parade of other documents too fast for anyone else to read. He paused at a few documents while Abby seemed overly obsessed with something on the mass spectrometer read out.

"Looks like Mrs. Denise Nash was Miss Denise Cocke before she got married." McGee announced to Abby. "She is the daughter of the maid who had the affair with General Clanan back in the day."

"No way!" Abby looked over at what McGee was working on, his results were on the larger screen past her work station. "So General Clanan was hanging with the maids and oopsie. So now the illegitimate daughter gets married and has a single son, Vincent James Nash."

"And, looks like Martha Bonior was at the bachelorette party Vincent was sent to be stripper for." McGee pulled up the video from the party. "I called and got this from Ester Horn, the lady getting married."

"She gave it to you?" Abby hugged him sisterly.

"I asked nicely." McGee insisted and smiled proudly. "Someone named George emailed it to me. Gibbs will be ecstatic once we tell him."

Gibbs smiled at the exchange silently. "Oh, he already knows."

Both froze in place in mid typing. Abby turned first then McGee got off the stool and turned to face Gibbs.

"Good job, McGee, Abby."

Gibbs left the room.

"I'm not done yet!" Abby called out.

Gibbs walked back into the lab. "What?" He walked up to Abby and McGee impatiently.

"Ducky found something in Nash's mouth." Abby turned back to her computer. "What we have is a rose quartz crystal of gemstone quality, my friends. And not just any rose quartz. It's Italian and it's mined from somewhere in northern Italy. But that's not why it's so special."

"Why is it special then?" McGee wanted to know.

"Because, a jeweler in New York by the name of Francis Conner took a set of one hundred twenty specifically cut rose quartz crystals and created six gold and rose necklaces in 1925. Of the five that were sold, guess who owns one?"

"Dorothy Clanan?" McGee offered.

Abby shook her head. "Nope. Martha Bonior." She smiled tapping the keys and bringing up a photo of the six necklaces prior to being sold. "Her husband gave it her on their first anniversary back in 1943. She was eighteen he was twenty. She changed back to her maiden name legally after her husband died in 2000." Another photo popped up of a couple holding hands and smiling. "They were devoted to one another. Guess it pained her not having him around."

McGee and Gibbs glanced at one another in disagreement.

"Boss, it seems Kelly Clanan knew Vincent Nash." McGee brought up a high school football photo from a yearbook. "They met during high school. They were a few years apart, he a freshman, her a Senior but he played varsity football as a freshman. I've been combing phone records for the last six years. Get this, Vincent got her number from somewhere. They called each other a number of times before he graduated high school and joined the army."

Abby added. "Get me the necklace, I'll prove the crystal came from it."

Gibbs leaned forward and kissed Abby on the temple. He patted McGee on the shoulder and turned to leave the room. "Good job, both of you." Gibbs left the lab then.

"And that's a wrap." Abby stood all giddy.

"Yeah, but where's he going?" McGee wanted to know.

And why was he not going? McGee gave it only a moment's thought before returning to his task. He better get all of the facts for the report. Nothing worse than an incomplete report turned into the director in his mind, Tim thought. Abby worked on something else while he tapped away at the keyboard.

**Chapter Sixteen**

Kelly Clanan walked along the sidewalk on her cellphone talking about something to do with shopping and next day's assignment due for class. Gibbs walked forward into her path of travel to get her attention. She looked up just before running into him.

"I gotta go, Sam." She flipped her phone shut. "Agent Gibbs, what are you doing here?"

Gibbs reached into his inside packet and extracted a photo. He turned it to show Kelly the face of Private Vincent James Nash in his Army uniform. "You know Vincent Nash?"

She frowned at the photo and hesitated before answering. "Vince?" Kelly nodded. "Yes."

Gibbs pocketed the photo again. "How did you meet?"

"Party at one of the sororities." Kelly shrugged glancing at him occasionally. "He was coming out as I was going in. We went to the same high school but I didn't really bother with him back then. He was younger than me and no senior would bother with a freshman. I thought he got cuter since he graduated so we got to talking."

They began walking side-by-side.

"How long did you know him?" Gibbs searched her face when he glanced at her keeping up with her slower pace.

"A few months." Kelly looked around the street. "We mostly emailed and text. Sometimes he called when he was in town. Mostly never. I didn't think it would go anywhere."

"Your Aunt Martha know about him?" He found nothing on Kelly's face to indicate she was holding anything back.

He could tell she was unhappy about something. It weighed on her shoulders and appeared to bother Kelly Clanan enough to warrant further digging. However, Gibbs knew he did not want to lead the girl into believing he was interested in anything but clarifying her relationship with Vincent Nash.

"She never asks me about my boyfriends." Kelly smirked. "I'm not allowed to bring any of them home, if that's what you're asking. Martha's old country. She's determined that I should wait until I'm married to have interactions with young men. Her way of telling me to avoid boys, I guess."

Gibbs smiled slightly. "She just wants to protect you from the world."

"It's the twenty-first century, Agent Gibbs." Kelly smirked. "It's either you learn to play the game or you sit on the bench. Her intentions are pure but her execution is rather harsh."

Gibbs shrugged not having an answer to that. "Vincent's dead, Kelly."

She stopped in mid-step. Her hands clasped over her mouth, tears welled up in her eyes. Her body shook trying to keep sobs from spurting out. Gibbs stepped forward and took her into a hug. She let loose with tears and a few sobs. After a few moments, Kelly shook her head and took a deep breath. She moved away from Gibbs and appeared a little more controlled emotionally.

With a shaky voice, she told him. "You have a way of getting a girl's attention, Agent Gibbs. Wh…when did he…?"

"Thursday night." Gibbs decided to be honest.

"Why you asked me about great aunt Martha's…" Kelly frowned at him. "You think great aunt Martha did it?"

"We don't know anything yet." Gibbs noted she became defensive suddenly. "We're exploring all avenues, Miss Clanan. I need to eliminate her as a suspect."

Gibbs had a problem keeping the girl from reminding him of his own daughter. Part of him wondered what kind of young woman she would turn into. He sighed and put it out of his mind for the time being. Cases helped chase away the ghosts on occasion.

"Sounds like a crap answer to me, Agent Gibbs." Kelly shook her head. "I can't imagine Great Aunt Martha doing anything but falling asleep in her chair reading a book. How…how did Vincent die?"

"Knife wound." Gibbs deliberately left out the details.

"He was such a nice guy." Kelly crossed her arms. "I hoped to see him again."

Gibbs watched her for a few moments and decided that he got the answers he wanted out of the younger Clanan girl. He would have to find another avenue of investigation. Looking at Kelly Clanan as a possible suspect would only waste their time.

**Chapter Seventeen**

Tony DiNozzo listened intently on the phone for several moments. He appeared confident that somewhere he would find a lead to close the case. If only the person on the other line would take him off hold. There was a familiar clicking on the other end finally.

"Yes." He straightened. "I'm here."

He listened closely eagerly writing information down. McGee suddenly appeared out of the corner of his eye making him shift to look at the junior field agent. He smirked as McGee sat down and began tapping away at his keyboard. Tony was sure McSqueak would be down in Abby's lab for the rest of the day. Unless he had something to say to the boss.

"Yeah." Tony pretended to care about the back-story behind the information he received. "Thanks."

Gibbs returned from his errand in a foul mood. Tony noted Gibbs was limping a little more than usual. The knee must be bothering him a little more than normal today.

"Problem, boss." Tony stood up. "Miss Bonior filed a robbery report last year. A bunch of her jewelry went missing during a birthday party. Guess what went missing along with almost a hundred thousand dollars worth of jewels?"

"A 1925 golden rose necklace?" McGee responded.

"Exacto!" Tony pointed at McGee lowering his head. "Ten points to McSqueak."

That did not make Gibbs happy. "Anyone suspected in the robbery?"

"Bunch of stuff appeared at pawn shops all over town." Tony looked at his notes. "Whoever it was used an alias. No arrests were made, the case is still open. The police recovered most of it since her jewelry was custom and unique. However, the golden rose necklace was never recovered."

Gibbs slammed his hand on the desk in aggravation. "Damn."

Some cases were harder to crack than others. Tony stated the obvious. "We find the necklace, we find who has it now, we find the killer."

Gibbs thought for a moment.

"McGee, get Ziva, go over the crime scene again, take flashlights with you." He tapped the desktop with his fingers. "Look specifically away from the main crime scene, around trees and bushes. Someone may have seen something that night."

"Witness?" McGee perked up. "Someone may have been hiding and saw something." He got to his feet and grabbed his field bag. "On it, boss."

Gibbs looked to DiNozzo. "Get me warrant for the Bonior House in Georgetown. And track down the LEO who worked the burglary."

Tony picked up his phone. "Already working it, boss."

McGee walked by Tony's desk and pulled his phone from its holder. He quickly skimmed the numbers and found Ziva's dialing immediately. He headed to the elevator that would take him to the garage and NCIS vehicle parking lot.

**Chapter Eighteen**

Ziva walked the crime scene area again hoping to find something they missed the first time around. The sun was out today offering more light to make hunting elusive evidence so much easier to find. McGee and she spread out around the crime scene open to the public to scour for anything small or unassuming. It could lead them to a possible suspect.

Splitting up, they scoured for more than an hour. Ziva took to the trees in direct line of sight of the crime scene. If she was someone following a person or noticed something suspicious going on, she would follow a path. Ziva walked fifty feet over to the parking lot area where two cars were parked; a blue sedan and a silver hatchback.

"Okay, I parked my car." Ziva told herself softly to gain some insight. "I might be meeting someone here. Maybe for the first time, maybe for a second time again." She glanced down at the curb and looked up.

Then she frowned and looked down again.

A gold bracelet, small and dainty, with fine work and quite a few diamonds was lying on the ground. Without thinking, Ziva photographed it and picked it up sliding it into an evidence pouch. It could be nothing, it could be something. She continued with her line of reasoning.

"I see the person I'm meeting or the person I'm following."

McGee caught up with her then. "Got nothing."

"Gold bracelet." Ziva held up the bag. "Next to the curb in the parking lot."

"So someone may have been here then." McGee brightened. "Going through the motions?"

Ziva motioned for McGee to follow and asked. "Okay, I'm meeting with someone across the way or following someone. I find them with another person. I get suspicious."

McGee appeared confused but he remained silent and followed Ziva across the grass to another thick tree. Large enough to hide a person behind it if someone needed cover from roving eyes. There were two picnic tables under the tree for eating in the shade.

"I hide here." Ziva looked around the tree at the crime scene. "I occasionally glance around the tree for visual cues. The person is with someone else." She looked down hoping to find something hidden in the grass.

Nothing. Defeated, Ziva placed her hands on her hips and sighed. She had hoped to find something more than a gold bracelet at the park. If there was someone else here she wanted the clues to locate them.

"It was a good idea." McGee smiled and glanced down. "We got something here."

McGee took out a pair of tweezers and pulled something off the tree. He pulled out an evidence bag from his inner pocket and opened it. He pushed a single blonde hair inside and zipped it up. Ziva watched McGee eagerly, hoping the clue would pan out.

**Chapter Nineteen **

Tony waited in the jail's interview room for his intended interviewee. He left the file folder on the table before him. There was no use looking through it until he talked to the person.

Mark Townsend was the culprit caught by LEO's after the Bonior burglary selling the jewelry around town to various pawnshops. But he was not the actual thief. He claimed he found the bag of jewels lying on the side of the road downtown. His alibi checked out every time it was challenged. One of the owners called the police after seeing the APB out on unique custom jewelry that was part of a recent robbery. Pawnshop owners did not mess with stolen merchandise unless the stuff was untraceable. Rich jewelry could be traced nowadays. Too bad Mark was an idiot.

Tony waited until the door clicked open. Two uniforms escorted a young man meeting Mark Townsend's description wearing a gray jumpsuit into the room. One officer pulled out the chair across from Tony at the table. Mark was sat down across from Tony forcefully.

"Who are you?" Mark queried. "I ain't never seen you before."

"Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo." Tony flashed his credentials. "NCIS."

Mark Townsend probably could not read. His eyes glazed over the moment Tony opened his ID wallet to flash his ID tag and badge. But he took the time to show Mark and the uniforms following NCIS protocol to the letter.

"Navy?" Mark shrugged and smirked. "I ain't done nothing to the Navy."

"No." Tony smiled. "But you stole some jewelry from a little old lady."

"She didn't need it anymore." Mark smiled sarcastically. "I'd thought I'd take it off her hands."

"Crashed the party didn't you?" Tony began. "Snuck upstairs while everyone downstairs was having fun. You got in and plucked the jewelry then bolted. Did you really think you'd get far with custom jewelry?"

"All you can do was try, right?" Mark shrugged.

"You found the bag by the side of the road." Tony corrected seeing the smirk on the kids face. "Or so the report says. But you took the jewelry, didn't you, Mark. Pretended to find it on the side of the road. You wanted to make a quick buck."

"I didn't know it was custom." Mark shrugged.

"We got most of it back." Tony opened the file. "I want to know exactly what you took."

"Is this important?" Mark sighed and dropped his shoulders as if he was bored.

Tony's voice went cold. "Might take you off the hook for murder."

"Murder!" Mark got anxious and began fidgeting. "I ain't murdered nobody, man! All I was supposed to do was get inside, steal the loot and bolt! Graver never said anything about killing anyone!"

Tony folded his arms. "I don't believe you, Mark."

"I swear, man!" Mark began rocking back and forth in his chair anxiously. "Jack Graver set the whole thing up. Spotted the old lady at some opera house where he was outside selling junk on the street. Followed her home one night and cased the joint. Knew there was a birthday party for some niece coming up. Woman talked pretty loud to her assistant. Anyway, Graver got Joey in on the action. Used to do security for the high-class houses in Georgetown. He got the plans to the house and the safe."

"Look at the photos and tell me what you took." Tony ordered.

He spread the photos out across the table. Mark leaned forward with zeal and began picking up one photo at a time.

"Yeah. I remember these." Mark handed the photos of several gold and diamond rings over that he knew. "I got lots of cash for those. And these...oh…these paid very well too."

Tony smiled as Mark scrutinized the photos. He folded his arms and smiled. The dumb criminals were the easiest to control. Throw a fake charge at them and they told you everything you wanted to know.

About twenty minutes later, Tony had only a few photos of jewelry he took from his own collection and the 1925 golden rose necklace on the unidentified pile. Mark Townsend knew his rocks and could name most of them by how much he got for them. Strange, some criminals only functioned normally when they did something wrong.

"So, you didn't take these?" Tony asked point blank.

"Nah." Mark shoved the cufflinks and man's necklace photos away then folded his arms as if insulted. "All I took was women's jewelry, no men's stuff. I don't remember that necklace. Would've given it to my mother if I snatched it."

Tony DiNozzo got to his feet and gathered up the photos. Mark looked at him confused. Tony nodded towards the two uniforms that he was done and turned towards the door. He left the room without another word.

"Hey!" Mark called out. "Does that get me off the hook for the murder?"

Tony DiNozzo was already gone.

TO BE CONTINUED…


	9. Episode 3: One Part 3

**NCIS Season 9**

**Episode 9.3.3 **

**ONE**

**By: Lady JenDragon**

**Disclaimer: **Yes, yes, yes, I know, I don't own NCIS and the characters created for the show.

**Author Notes: **Thank you to all who have reviewed.

* * *

**ONE**

**PART THREE**

**Chapter Twenty**

Gibbs walked out of the elevator and into Abby's laboratory his cellphone at his ear. Abby worked clicking away at her computer keyboard while Gibbs talked, her music set on a much lower setting. Finally, he appeared to be finished with the call.

"Good work, DiNozzo." Gibbs closed his phone. "Get the warrant and tag Ziva and McGee for the search. I'll meet you there."

He realized Abby had not acknowledged him. "Abby?"

"Oh, you remembered I was here?" Abby glanced over her shoulder.

"How could I forget?" Gibbs asked faking insult and walked over to her then kissed her on the temple. "What have you got?" He paused. "Why is your music so low?"

"Hach said it hurts one's abilities to focus correctly." Abby appeared deflated. "She told me that too much caffeine could be harmful rather than helpful in my ability to work as an efficient forensic scientist. Burning the candles at both ends will only get me to the grave faster. She recommended less caffeine, lower music and less stress."

"And?" Gibbs wanted to know.

"She may have a point." Abby turned to her computer screen. "I do feel more productive right now."

Gibbs became impatient. "Abs."

"I know. Hair and gold bracelet from Ziva and McGee's scouring of the crime scene." Abby smiled happily. "At first I thought this case would never produce any evidence for me. So glad they swept the crime scene again."

"After I told them to." Gibbs pointed out.

"You're so good for NCIS, Gibbs." Abby narrowed her eyes, smiled at him and returned to her computer once more. "Now for the fun stuff. The gold bracelet. It would be just a common bracelet if it weren't for the diamonds."

"Fake?" Gibbs replied.

"Nope." Abby tapped three times. "Traceable. And very expensive too. More than I make in an entire year. These are very, very expensive diamonds even if they are small in size. Size doesn't always matter in some things I guess."

"Abs." Gibbs said pointedly ignoring her meaning. "Focus."

Abby turned to him brightly. "Guess who this bracelet belongs to?"

"Just tell me." Gibbs wanted the answers already.

"Kelly. Clanan." Abby tapped a few more times and the computer screen rolled up a sales receipt. "She bought it, the diamonds, at the mall at George and Sons Jewelry shop two years ago. Her name was attached to the serial numbers once she bought the diamonds for the bracelet and George and his sons made the bracelet around them. Such good craftsmanship too."

Gibbs nodded then asked. "Hair?"

"Also Kelly Clanan's." Abby turned to Gibbs. "She was the woman in the park against the tree when her hair got caught in the bark leaving it behind for us to find. First her bracelet then her hair. She was a busy girl, Gibbs!"

Gibbs kissed her on the temple again and left immediately.

"I'm still his favorite." Abby smiled and continued working.

**Chapter Twenty-One **

Tony DiNozzo and McGee stood on the doorstep waiting until the door opened. A tall man, in his mid-forties, dressed in a black suit and white shirt answered.

"May I help you?" He asked in a medium voice.

"You the butler?" Tony asked quizzically.

"John Jasper, the head butler, sir." He lifted his chin. "I'm afraid Miss Bonior is not at home."

"Special Agent DiNozzo..." He began and was cut off.

"I know who you are, Agent DiNozzo." John became cold towards DiNozzo. "You're Agent Gibbs has already been here."

That took Tony off guard. "He has?"

"What do you want now?" John glanced at McGee then set his firm eyes back on DiNozzo. "Miss Clanan is away at school."

"That's okay if no one's home." Tony raised the warrant to his high nose. "This gives me authorization to go lookie lookie in your housie housie. Step aside."

John took the paper and opened it scanning the wording. Unfortunately, he knew how to read and rolled his eyes coming upon the reasons for the search. There was a deep sigh before he stepped to the side.

Within the hour, the Clanan House was under chaos when NCIS arrived in force on the street. Cars blocked lanes in one direction as agents and support staff evacuated their vehicles and began a choreographed routine once the warrant was issued to enter the premises. The staff was detained in the kitchen after it was searched by other NCIS agents tagged to aid in the search of the massive house.

The search of the Clanan House began.

Tony, Ziva and McGee led the search, the first to enter the house after serving the warrant to the head housekeeper. None of the Clanan's or Bonior's was home at the time the warrant was served.

"Perhaps they got scared off." Tony walked into the front foyer.

"Not great aunt Martha." McGee smiled. "Makes your mother look like Mrs. Buttersworth."

Tony grimaced at the insult. "I love Mrs. Buttersworth."

After several houses of fruitless searching, Tony and the team returned to the first floor from scouring the upper floors. Tony turned at the base of the stairs and walked down the main hall. His attention was called for from an older NCIS agent normally associated with search and seizures. McGee followed Ziva down the stairs unhappy nothing had been found so far. But the first floor remained largely untouched except for the back rooms. Teams of four were working from back to front as they stood together.

"Found something." Tony announced from the library doorway. "Boss isn't going to like this."

In the library was the most detrimental evidence. The fireplace contained burned clothing, more like a stiff coat in appearance. However, not all of it burned completely leaving some beige behind of the original color. There were some pieces of a piece of paper that was also unburned after a deliberately set fire. The accelerant used sat on the stones to the side of the fireplace.

"Someone's trying to cover something up." Ziva stated the obvious.

"But what." McGee frowned at the coat. "Abby's going to love this."

"She's been crying about having nothing to do on the case." Ziva smirked. "It's not like Abby to be so anxious about a case."

Tony stood beside McGee. "She's working on the Perfecto Case with the FBI. There hasn't been any new leads lately."

"Ah." Ziva nodded. "So it's not just this case she's anxious about then."

"You think Abby'll go off chasing Perfecto and leave us?" McGee looked to the others.

"If something comes up, the FBI might ask her to join them and leave us hanging." Tony added. "She may not have a choice in the matter."

Ziva and McGee looked to one another then at Tony.

The moment of silence went unnoticed by the other NCIS working with them. However, they understood and decided it was best to get back to work on the current case and not worry about staffing issues. Ziva and McGee worked together to photograph, bag, and tag everything in the fireplace.

Tony took out his phone and opened it.

**Chapter Twenty-Two **

Kelly sat uncomfortably in the chair across from Gibbs in Interrogation Room One. He stared silently at her from across the table. Just his stare alone made her uneasy. There was a file on the table in front of him. He kept his hands over it as if protecting it. There was no comfort in his eyes, only suspicion.

Gibbs started off slowly keeping his voice soothing. "You were at Rock Creek Park."

"Yes, Tuesday night." Kelly did not understand the relevance. "It was a date."

"With Vincent?" He added.

"Yes." She nodded.

He knew it was not fair to put her on the spot. "Where in the park did you go?"

"I don't see how it's any of your business, Agent Gibbs."

"Vincent was found dead in Rock Creek Park, Miss Clanan." Gibbs refrained from getting angry, she was answering his questions honestly thus far. Again he kept his voice calm and even. "We can place you in the vicinity of where he died."

"Wh…what?" Kelly let her mouth drop.

"You left a hair on a tree." Gibbs crossed it off the list.

Kelly shook her head and took a deep breath. Her eyes opened wide. "Vincent kissed me against a tree Tuesday night. I don't remember exactly which one, my brain was a little fuzzy." Kelly shrugged. "It's not like I was paying attention then, Agent Gibbs."

"Near the parking lot?" Gibbs pressed.

"Might've been." Kelly closed her eyes and tried to remember. "I parked in the fourth spot down. I know I counted those before I got out of the car. I was a little nervous about seeing him alone. All the other times, I was with a group or in public places. I felt safer there. But I guess I thought I knew him well enough to meet him alone Tuesday."

"You parked in the fourth spot?" Gibbs queried.

He opened the file and took out a photo. It was of asphalt and curb marked by Ziva and photographed with the parking spots clearly indicated. One could barely tell there was a gold bracelet left on the ground. No one would know it was there unless you walked by or happened to step on it. The bracelet was found in the fifth parking spot. Gibbs placed the photo in front of Kelly.

"You recognize this?" He asked softly.

Kelly leaned forward and squinted. "Looks like…my bracelet!" She looked up at him in realization and sighed in relief. "Is that where it fell? No wonder I couldn't find it anywhere. Must've loosened it when I was trying to decide what to do. I freaked out after I realized it was missing."

"Why's it so important to you?" Gibbs watched her closely.

"I got my first trust fund at twenty." Kelly strained to smile, hurt in her eyes. "Mother set it up when I was born and paid into it my whole life. I was to use it for college. Upon getting it, I bought myself this bracelet to always remember my mother by. How she worked so hard and tried to give me everything. The diamonds were so bright, reminded me of her eyes." Tears streamed down her cheeks. "I miss her all the time."

Gibbs pulled out another photo of the 1925 golden rose necklace. "This was stolen in a burglary a few months ago."

Kelly squinted and the photo and shook her head when she looked to Gibbs. "No, that's impossible."

Gibbs remained silent.

Kelly continued. "The burglary happened the night of my twentieth birthday party last year. I was wearing it as a token from my great aunt. She insisted I wear it for the night. I always loved the look of it. Such an exquisite piece of jewelry."

Gibbs sighed getting no closer to finding the killer than he was before. It felt like a lot of running around. Unless that was what he was meant to think he was doing.

**Chapter Twenty-Three**

Since Kelly Clanan left after his interview with her, Gibbs found he needed time to think. He walked down to the coffee shop to clear his head. Strange, he did not feel like going home to sit in his basement to clear his head like usual. Perhaps he regretted his suspicions that Kelly could have killed Vincent Nash. He sensed no hostilities from Kelly Clanan towards Vincent Nash. His suspicion returned to great aunt Martha Bonior.

Recently, Gibbs felt as if Abby's laboratory was becoming his second home. He spent a lot of time down here lately. And he was back following the evidence found at the Clanan House brought in a few hours ago by McGee. Did he sense a change coming?

Abby was bent over her evidence and prep table running a black light over what remained of the clothing laid out in a metal tray. She wore her lab coat and red protective safety glasses over her eyes. Slowly she scoured the fabric for any evidence left behind. He remembered that McGee mentioned something about a coat being found in the fireplace after a recent fire.

"Abby." He spoke quietly.

Abby jumped at the voice in the room nearly dropping the black light and spun around to avoid contaminating the evidence. "Geez, Gibbs! Make some noise when you come in!" She paused to look at him. "You took the stairs again, didn't you?"

Gibbs nodded then shrugged his shoulders. "And?"

"From here on out, you're banned from exercise, Gibbs." Abby returned to her work once more. "You know you're too quiet when you walk. I need to hear the ding of the elevator signaling your arrival."

He ignored her and walked over to stand by her. "What have you got?"

"A coat." Abby replied bending over the tray. "I can't tell you what brand yet. Only that there's blood on it and probably a lot of it before the fire took most of the coat though. There's two cuffs from the arms and some of the front buttons. Whoever set the fire didn't want anything left."

"Any prints?" Gibbs wanted something to go off of.

"It's a petite size." Abby kept the light low and slow over the evidence.

"Young woman?" He pressed.

"Could be." Abby shrugged. "Anyone this size regardless of age could wear this. You thinking Kelly Clanan killed Private Nash?"

"No." Gibbs noted the size of the remaining coat. "She is two sizes larger than this."

Abby stopped straightened and looked at Gibbs alarmed. "You know this how?"

Gibbs lost his patience. "I just talked to her a few hours ago, Abs. She and Private Nash were dating."

Abby smiled but she knew Gibbs was not convinced. "Awe…how long?"

Gibbs only looked at Abby silently. She wrestled up some reserve and stared back at him just as silently. After a few moments, she tilted her head to the other side.

"Let you know when I have DNA?" Abby finally said.

"Yeah." Gibbs walked passed her and left.

Abby pouted. "I didn't even get one Caf-Pow yet." She folded her arms in disappointment. "This case sucks."

**Chapter Twenty-Four**

McGee sat at his desk tapping at the keyboard in the Squad Room. His eyes were focused on the computer screen so intent on reading everything he brought up. He checked into the records he followed since the search of the Clanan House. It was odd that everyone seemed to be able to account for Miss Bonior's and Miss Kelly Clanan's whereabouts. Ziva mentioned that most of the staff were upset that the feds were invading the Clanan House.

"What you doing, McGee?" Gibbs stood watching him with his coffee.

"Well…" McGee looked around. "Once we finished the search of the house, some of the staff appeared quite loyal to the Clanan family. Martha Bonior lives in her sister's house along with her niece and nephew. So I'm looking into their backgrounds for anything unusual."

Gibbs thought about it. "Good idea, Tim."

He walked over to his desk and sat down. His thoughts were not focused specifically on the case but of everyone around him. There were many questions that needed answers involving the death of Private Nash. But his mind was befuddled lately. His concentration was off. Something was not right in his domain. It threw him off his game. That never happened before.

Gibbs sighed.

McGee so deep in his reading suddenly stopped and looked over at Gibbs. It was rare to see Gibbs with his head in his hands. Clearly the boss was struggling. But with what? The case? Did he know about Abby working with the FBI on the Perfecto Case?

He blinked when he realized Gibbs was no longer sitting behind his desk. McGee glanced around to figure out where his boss went. Gibbs was not heading towards the elevator. McGee deduced that Gibbs was heading to Abby's laboratory since they brought in new evidence from the search.

**Chapter Twenty-Five**

Abby paced back and forth in her lab anxiously waiting for Gibbs to show himself. It was not like him to remain gone with new answers just happy to be discovered. She turned away from the door, closed her eyes, fisted her hands and chewed on her lower lip. Suddenly she spun around to face the door finding Tony DiNozzo standing watching her cautiously.

"You're not Gibbs!" Abby stood in shock. "Where is he? I have something important to tell him!"

"Thanks, Abs." Tony smirked at her. "You know you can tell me and I'll tell Gibbs."

Abby pouted. "It's not the same, Tony!"

Tony sighed. "Well, he's not here! He's not in the Squad Room. Guess he went out for coffee." He paused. "Gibbs know you're working the Perfecto case?"

"I mentioned it a number of times." Abby frowned then. "I think. I know we talked about the evidence at least once."

Tony smirked. "You actually told him; 'Gibbs, I'm working with the FBI on the Perfecto case'. I might have to take a few days off."

Abby lost her happiness then. "Well, no." She suddenly became anxious. "I couldn't find a way to tell him yet with this case finally going somewhere." Abby rushed over to Tony and placed her hand over his mouth. "You can't say a word to him, Tony!"

Tony laughed as he pulled her off him. "I won't but you need to…like…today." Then he got serious. "Now, what have you got?"

"There was serious amounts of blood on that coat burned to a crisp." Abby walked over to her computer and keyboard. "I couldn't get DNA off the burned areas."

"Tell me you got something." Tony looked at the computer screen and moved to stand beside Abby. "This case seems to be driving our fearless leader into bouts of self doubt and he might just be losing his mind finally. He's not himself."

Abby spoke softly with a sad tone. "You know I can't hide my innermost emotions very well. Gibbs is picking up my vibes, Tony."

"Look." Tony put an arm around Abby's shoulders. "Even if you help the other feds out, you'll just be gone as if you're off for the weekend. You're not leaving NCIS. You are working to save women's lives, Abby Sciuto. You alone will bring this bastard to justice and then come back home." He whispered the last sentence. "That is something to be proud of, Abby Sciuto."

Abby melted and she hugged him tightly. "You say the most sweetest things, Tony." She jumped up all perky, pulled away, and returned to her computer seemingly back to normal. "Okay, back to work."

"So, you find any blood not burned?" Tony put an arm around Abby for reassurance.

Abby tapped the keyboard. "A little, not sure if there's enough for a DNA match. But, there's more than one type. Private Nash was B-negative and his blood was all over the front of the coat. I found A-positive blood as well on the cuffs of the coat."

"Killer nicked herself." Tony smiled. "This should cheer up the boss. We finally caught a break."

Abby glanced at Tony. "But can an almost eighty-five year old really slice Nash's throat with a sharp knife at her age?"

"If only we had the knife." Tony winced lacking a key piece in the puzzle.

"It was in the coat." Abby pulled up a photo. "Whoever tried to burned the coat put the knife in the front left pocket to melt it down. That's the reason the accelerant was used. They wanted to make the fire hot enough to melt metal." Abby whined. "But the worst part is that it's homemade. I can't link it to any sales, anyone who might've used a credit card to purchase it. No paper trail."

"And?" Tony did not understand the connection.

"Someone made the knife specifically for this murder." Abby stated smiling. "You searched the house right?"

Tony nodded.

"Well, did you find anything like melt works?' Abby asked happily.

Tony did not want to admit that he did not stick around after the fireplace stuff was found. He decided that he should just be professional. He left the lab quickly practically running from the room. Abby stared after him for a moment and rolled her eyes.

"You know!" Abby called out. "ANYTIME ANYONE WANTS TO BRING ME A CAF-POW, IT WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED." Abby pouted folding her arms. "I'm certainly not feeling the love here."

She sighed and got back to work.

**Chapter Twenty-Six**

Ducky sat at his desk reading his notes on the latest case. Private Nash's death was too similar to that of General Clanan's. The older file was opened and lying on his desk at the other end. Ducky did not find such conundrums on his desk often. The two cases certainly had his attention.

"Strange that I should find these two murders difficult to connect when the evidence suggests otherwise." He compared the photos of the two murders side by side. "Thirty-four years separates the two murders. If Dorothy did tell her sister how to do it then she would have to been extremely angry at the young man to pull it off."

However, if this was the work of a copycat, copycats were not without fault. Still, he found nothing to separate the two. Though the evidence was clear he understood why Jethro was suspicious. If the murder was done by an eighty-five year old woman she would only need enough strength to make one quick strike with a knife.

"You always talk to yourself, Duck?" Gibbs asked from the door of autopsy.

"Only when I don't see your point." Ducky glanced over at his visitor. "There's no copycat here, Jethro. I don't care what your gut's telling you."

"Martha's the elder sister and more frail than her sister as I understand it." Gibbs had to put the thought out there. "You really believe she could have done that to Private Nash?"

Jethro seemed unsettled lately, Ducky noticed. Did Jethro suspect a copycat despite his own opinion that was not the case? Or should there be someone else the team should be looking at? The infamous Gibbs gut was clear, he was not convinced Martha Bonior committed the crime. Ducky knew Jethro long enough to read the expression on his face easily.

"Anyone can be led to commit murder, Jethro." Ducky smirked, "Even little old ladies."

Gibbs stood there thinking but said nothing. He nodded and turned towards the door. There was a hesitation before he finally left. Ducky frowned slightly wondering why Jethro Gibbs would hesitate.

"Interesting." Ducky smiled. "I wonder if Jethro's usual logic's been impeded by something…or someone?"

The medical examiner left his personal thoughts silent. It was better to leave Jethro Gibbs to his own thoughts until he needed someone to talk about things.

**Chapter Twenty-Seven**

McGee sat at his desk staring at his computer. He leaned back in his chair staring seemingly into space above his computer screen. His fingers were stationary and were folded together as he thought about something in his head. He made no move towards his keyboard.

"Hey, McStary-Eyes." Tony threw a wad of paper at him hitting him in the shoulder. "Whatcha thinking about?"

McGee frowned. "Everything points to Martha Bonior. It seems almost too convenient."

Tony got to his feet and walked towards McGee's desk. "She had a sister who did it then told her how to do the exact same thing years later. She spots Nash at the party and decides to whack him herself for the sins of her sister's husband."

"But why?" McGee shook his head. "Even if he was the grandson of the General, unless she had a photo of Nash over the course of a lifetime."

Ziva came around the corner of McGee's desk. "She would've had to have known who Nash was already before the party."

McGee and Tony DiNozzo looked to Ziva surprised.

"She already knew him." McGee repeated.

Tony turned to McGee. "Which means someone did it who knew the family history. That leaves the question…who knew enough to want Nash dead and why?"

Ziva folded her arms. "Gibbs said Kelly Clanan was beginning to date Vincent Nash. They met at a sorority party."

"Great aunt Martha didn't want Nash snooping around the family." McGee agreed. "Could've spotted them out on the town. She does live at home while attending college."

"Or he came to the house to pick her up…maybe meet Kelly's family." Ziva offered. "Kelly Clanan doesn't know the family history. None of the older generations want to reveal the family secrets. Great aunt Martha sees Private Nash with Kelly on the doorstep and loses it."

Tony rolled his eyes. "She's eighty-five, Ziva. I doubt she's running marathons and climbing mountains enough to 'lose it'. You see her walk around in the video?" He added sarcastically. "Yeah, she's just running circles around her friends. No way she did it."

Gibbs walked past McGee's desk and paused at his own desk. "Call and have great aunt Martha brought here."

"On it boss." McGee picked up the phone.

Tony got back to work. "I'll look through the evidence list recovered from the Clanan House. We weren't looking for molds and metal works."

Ziva opened her mouth and froze then added. "And…I'll…help Tony."

**Chapter Twenty-Eight**

Martha Bonior sat across the table from Gibbs sitting silently and proudly in Interrogation Room One. She wore an ivory suit with matching hat, gloves, and purse set on the corner of the table. She sat with the air of an aristocratic woman forced to answer questions among commoners. Martha leered at Agent Gibbs with disgust and looked down her nose at him then shifted her attention to the mirror.

Gibbs glared back without emotion, his hands set on the table on top of a manila file folder. His hands were flat and his shoulders were relaxed. He studied the woman's face and lack of expression. Her eyes avoided meeting his. Ducky would arrive shortly in the observation room to give him his take on Miss Bonior after the interview was over.

"We know you were at the party, Miss Bonior." Gibbs stated in a low voice.

"Of course I was there." Martha shrugged keeping her expression blank. "It was Evie's big night."

Part of him wondered if the woman thought the crime was justified. She was proud of the fact that Private Nash no longer lived.

Gibbs added. "We know you burned your clothes from that night."

"And?" Martha settled her elderly eyes on Gibbs.

"We also know your granddaughter, Kelly, can't vouch for your time away from the house."

"You have nothing, Agent Gibbs."

Gibbs remained silent for a moment. Reaching into his right pocket of his jacket, he took out a small sample jar and slid it onto the table.

"You only made one mistake." Gibbs glared at the elderly woman. "You fell on Nash when he grabbed your wrist after you sliced his throat. Most of the blood ended up all over the front of your coat. None was found on the ground where he fell."

He pulled several photos from the folder. One photo was of a new ivory coat, one of a melted knife from the library fireplace, and an enlarged photo of a blown-up crystal. The cracks from the break were clearly visible radiating from the center in bright pinks and reds with the occasional blues and blacks striating through the medial spaces.

Martha glanced down then looked up at the mirror once more. "All heresay."

"When you fell on him, his teeth grabbed onto your golden rose necklace." Gibbs motioned towards the jar. "His teeth broke one of the crystals off. The broken crystal stayed in his mouth until it was found by my medical examiner."

Martha looked at Gibbs then back to the mirror proudly, lifting her chin.

"We searched your house this morning." Gibbs continued. "We found the necklace with the broken crystal in your chauffeur, Christopher Bellan's, room. Our forensic scientist is matching the crystal found on Private Nash to the necklace now."

Martha appeared surprised by the news but she composed herself once more. "That little bastard was coming after Kelly!" She lifted her chin. "She brought him to the house to meet the family. They recently began dating."

"You got angry?" Gibbs asked.

"He was escorted from the house immediately. Kelly was forbidden from seeing him again." Martha's chin quivered slightly until she paused to firm her jaw. "I did what I did to protect my own blood. She can do better than that trash."

"You knew Vincent Nash was General Clanan's grandson." Gibbs laid his hands flat on the table. "Kelly was easy to manipulate. I bet she didn't know about the family history." He paused getting no response from Martha. "Your great niece was easily persuaded to stop accepting calls from Vincent."

"Kelly's a good girl." Martha lowered her voice. "We all make mistakes."

"She fears the family matriarch. Kelly and her brother do whatever you want." Gibbs added. "Once you got a good look at the stripper at the party, he was the one person you couldn't stand to watch dance in front of you. He saw you and rubbed his presence in your face. Then you decided you had enough."

Martha's hands tightened. "I want my lawyer."

"You're going to need one, Miss Bonior." Gibbs stood up as the door opened.

McGee and DiNozzo walked into Interrogation Room One and stood on either side of Miss Bonior. McGee began issuing her rights. "You are under arrest for the murder of Vincent Nash."

Gibbs left Interrogation Room One.

**Chapter Twenty-Nine**

Gibbs walked into the observation room attached to Interrogation Room One. Ducky stood at the window watching Miss Bonior being taken out of by Tim McGee and Tony DiNozzo with dignity and some difficulty walking. Gibbs walked over to stand with him facing the empty room.

"It's all over her face." Ducky spoke softly. "She's proud of what she did. If she wore gloves, they perished in the fire along most of the coat."

He frowned sounding unconvinced. "Could she have sliced his throat so easily, Duck?'

"It's simpler than you think, Jethro." Ducky glanced at him. "I'd thought you'd have figured this out already. A knife sharp enough to slice through meat like butter would be sufficient. We should look for a knife missing from the collection at the house to solidify the case against her."

Gibbs stood silent then mentioned. "Abby found a knife in the pocket of the burned coat. Homemade. When it was unmelted, it was probably sharp enough."

"Fascinating someone would go through the hassle of creating a murder weapon." Ducky inquired. "Your gut saying something else?"

"It's not saying anything." Gibbs responded annoyed he was out of coffee.

Ducky pointed out. "Only one way to get the crystal in his mouth, Jethro."

"Yeah, I know." Gibbs said. "Something isn't right."

Tony DiNozzo entered observation room, his torso slightly leaning forward as he entered. He paused at the two men turned to stare at him suspiciously. Tony nodded towards Ducky.

"Ah, Observation Room Two is ready, boss."

Ducky smiled shortly at Tony. Gibbs left the room first. Then Ducky left the observation room leaving Tony DiNozzo confused behind him.

**Chapter Thirty**

Gibbs sat across from John Jasper, the head butler of the Clanan House. He rested his hands on top of the table where another file folder laid closed. Focused on the butler's face, Gibbs chose to say nothing for a few moments. He wondered about the relationship of staff working in the house of a wealthy family.

He started off with. "Why did you bring Martha Bonior here tonight?"

John appeared cool headed. "NCIS requested Miss Bonior to be here."

"You've worked for Miss Bonior for how long?"

"I worked for Mrs. Clanan and then Miss Bonior." John maintained a calm exterior.

"You've been a member of the staff for…"

"Forty years." John lifted his chin high. "You're questioning my service to Miss Bonior, Agent Gibbs?"

"I question your loyalty." Gibbs leaned forward.

"I would never betray Miss Bonior's trust, Agent Gibbs."

"How far will you go to keep that trust?" Gibbs glared at John.

John became uncomfortable and swallowed. He lifted his chin and set his jaw.

Gibbs voice was low and he deliberately chose his words. "You drove her to Rock Creek Park to meet Vincent Nash after he called at the house looking for Kelly Clanan." He continued. "She met with Vincent Nash and offered him money to stay away from Kelly. He refused, she slit his throat."

Gibbs took a long break taking several breaths for his version of the story to sink in then continued. "The amount of blood surprised Martha Bonior and she panicked. You rushed over to rescue her."

John appeared more uncomfortable than before.

Gibbs opened the file folder and picked up several photos. He laid them down one at a time. The first photo was of the golden rose necklace. The second photo was of Private First Class Vincent Nash's graduation from boot camp. The third photo was the melted knife from the fireplace in the library. The fourth and final photo was of the crime scene in the park along the pathway next to the garbage can.

"The knife was made by someone in your house." Gibbs kept his voice low and dangerous. "Our search turned up a mold for a knife in the basement. Someone in the house has a rather unique hobby."

John remained silent.

"Of course that means nothing." Gibbs leaned forward on his arms. "Unless you leave fingerprints."

"I take it you have some?"

"Yes." Gibbs smiled shortly. "They belong to Christopher Bellan." He paused. "Unfortunately for you they were planted. The locations of the fingerprints only show he moved the mold. Christopher Bellan never used the mold. That was you. Several of the staff mentioned your fascination with ancient weapons."

John said nothing straightening his back.

"You planted the golden rose necklace in Christopher Bellan's room to frame him." Gibbs eyes went cold. "What you didn't know was that he went to visit his mother that night and they ended up at a relative's house with fourteen family members for dinner."

John remained silent but his eyes glistened and his chin quivered.

"You are charged with accessory to murder. You have the right to remain silent…" Gibbs got to his feet. "…anything you say can be used against you in a court of law."

The door opened, Ziva and McGee entered with handcuffs in hand. Gibbs nodded towards them and left the room. He heard Ziva continue with the reading of the Miranda Rights. He lowered his eyes walking down the hall. Gibbs knew why John Jasper covered up the murder of Private Vincent Nash.

**Chapter Thirty-One**

McGee leaned on his desk with Abby beside him. Ducky stood between Gibbs and McGee's desk watching the others talking about the case. Gibbs sat at his desk trying to bring up his email without much luck. Ziva and Tony stood in the aisle between their desks listening.

"Mrs. Nash is the bastard child of General Clanan?" Tony frowned. "How did Private Nash end up dead again?

"Mrs. Nash's maiden name is Cocke, the same last name of the one maid accused of having an affair with the General before he was killed." Ziva stated the facts. "Once Dorothy killed her husband, she thought she gave him what he deserved."

"What she didn't know was that both maids got pregnant." Abby stood on both feet now. "Mrs. Nash's mother was the famous maid who made public her pregnancy. Once she got married, she moved away to avoid being recognized by any remaining Clanan family members. In fact, I doubt Mrs. Nash ever knew her father was General Clanan."

"So why does this matter?" Tony shrugged. "Why try to frame the chauffeur?"

Abby raised her hand eagerly and jumped up and down excitedly. "Oh, I know!"

McGee pointed to Abby.

"Because, Christopher Bellan was the other maid's grandson." Abby smiled happily. "While the media were so focused on the maid's grandson they knew about, the other maid gave birth to a son. She raised him as a single mother which was really tough back then. Jacob Bellan got married and had three children. Christopher is the youngest. He slipped in to befriend the family and work as the chauffeur. He wanted to meet his grandfather's family."

"His grandmother told him?" Tony asked surprised.

Gibbs stepped in then. "Great aunt Martha took it upon herself to rid the world of Clanan's bastardized child herself in honor of her sister. However, the head butler found out the true identity of the chauffeur. He tried to kill two birds with one stone. Martha killed Vincent, why not frame the other for the murder?"

"Dorothy never forgot a thing even after killing her husband." Ducky shivered. "Coldest woman I ever had the displeasure meeting. Martha visited her sister often in prison. Ironic they never knew of the other maid."

Tony nodded. "Dorothy taught her sister how to do it after all."

"It wasn't hard." Ducky shook his head. "It was the crystal that did her in."

"Martha arranged a meeting with Vincent Nash and wham." McGee slashed his arm out. "Took care of an unsuspecting Private Nash who never knew why he was killed."

Tony winced and whispered folding his arms. "Sometimes I love my family. At least no one ever tried to kill me."

McGee smirked. "Crying shame."

Ducky and Gibbs laughed. Abby and Ziva shook their heads and then laughed too. Tony walked away from them and went back to his desk to sulk.

THE END


	10. Episode 4: The Temp Part 1

**NCIS Season 9**

**Episode 9.4.1**

**THE TEMP**

**By: Lady JenDragon**

**Disclaimer:** We know the drill. But I must declare my own characters as MINE, MINE, MINE!

**Author's Notes:** Hoping you're enjoying my season of NCIS. Oh, spoiler alert. New character! And no, no characters we love will be leaving…permanently. Enjoy.

* * *

**THE TEMP **

**PART ONE**

**Chapter One**

The harbor appeared deserted this time of night. Lights illuminated the piers spread along the walkways between the rows of boats. A high but rather decorative fence kept the civilians away from the yacht club members. Each member had a key to the gate for early and late entry. Some members lived on their boats. But no one stirred tonight.

A security guard passed by the gate off the main walkway along the harbor. He paused at the gate with a flashlight and checked the handle. It was locked. The gate was to a long pier leading to a row of expensive yachts docked for the night next to the main waterway leading out of the harbor.

Two dark figures scurried from shadow to shadow towards the end of the pier. They reached the longest yacht docked at the end of the pier. One figure peered over the other boats at the guard walking away from the gate.

"Come on, dude!" Ralph Dozer whispered and led the way towards the biggest boat he could find moored in the harbor. He scoped the placed out for a week waiting for the right target.

The second and shortest figure moved silently onto the yacht. He crept silently across the floor and knelt at the door. He reached into his right front pocket and pulled out two small objects. He began picking the lock.

"Hurry up." Ralph urged.

Jack Freeman rolled his eyes and glanced at his partner. "Chillax!" His voice was just above a whisper. "The owners are far, far away from here, my friend."

Ralph stood waiting impatiently. "I ain't worried about the owners." He glanced around then surveying the harbor quickly. "Security's everywhere, man!"

Jack glanced at the security guard making his rounds far off down the main walkway. They had at least another fifteen minutes before he returned.

He smiled. "Almost got it."

A boat rounded the curve from the entrance of the harbor. It came floating by silently, one light flooding the rows of boats with bright light finding its way to one of seventeen empty moorings available for the evening.

Jack dropped to the deck of the yacht, hiding behind the wall. He knew the daily routine of the marina and knew the harbormaster ran occasional checks through about once an hour. He glanced around unable to find Ralph anywhere. He would have to wait until the boat passed without further detection. Once the boat sailed by, he poked his head up over the railing.

"Ralph?" Jack whispered.

"Here!" Ralph struggled to keep his voice a whisper.

Jack peered over the edge of the yacht at the mooring. Ralph had jumped onto the anchor ropes near the stern between the yacht and pier to avoid detection. He dangled helplessly on the ropes as the boat passed and now found himself unable to get back onto either the pier or the yacht.

"What the hell are you doing?" Jack whispered angrily. "Get back up here!"

Ralph breathed in and sighed deeply. "I…can't!"

Jack heard a disturbance in the water below and glanced at the darkness. Something bubbled and an object rose to the surface. It was dark in odd shapes and patterns with a bit of white. Ralph's hands slipped at that moment and he fell into the water with a loud splash. He surfaced next to the floating woman's body buoying with him.

"Aaahhhh!" Ralph reacted emotionally to the floating body.

"Shut up man!" Jack whispered angrily. "Your going to draw some attention to us man!"

Ralph stared at the floating body with wide eyes, his hand hung onto the boat mooring rope. He treaded water trying to get away from the corpse continuing to make lots of noise.

Jack looked up to find the security guard entering the gate. Without thought, he slipped across the pier and jumped onto the boat opposite the yacht in hopes of evading being found.

**Chapter Two**

The basement contained one small rowboat form. It was just the exterior raw wood frame turned upside down. It was in the process of being sanded before the planks were installed. There was much to do before it would be finished.

Jethro Gibbs ran his callused fingers across the surface. His blue eyes followed his hand across the wood looking for any rough patches that needed smoothing. The sand paper held in his other hand, he anticipated finding something rough. There was no rush to finish tonight. Finding another patch, Gibbs sanded the struts of his boat with slow and deliberate strokes.

His cellphone rang, the sound emanating from a hidden place. He stopped sanding annoyed he was once again interrupted in his passion. He walked over to the workbench and unscrewed the nearest jar and dumped its contents. The phone spilled out onto the counter ringing incessantly. Gibbs picked up his phone and flipped it open.

"Gibbs." His voice was low and paused. "Yeah, McGee. I'm at home. What have you got?" He paused once more. "I'll be the there in thirty."

He closed the phone and sighed. Gibbs dropped the sand paper on the boards stretched beneath the rowboat. Gibbs grabbed his jacket and left his basement.

**Chapter Three**

The once quiet harbor now teemed with on-lookers and spectators. A dark blue Charger pulled up to the main gate and came to an abrupt halt. Not even the brakes dared squeal. Gibbs got out from behind the wheel and slammed the door closed. He eyed the security guard keeping watch at the gate letting only NCIS and emergency personnel near the crime scene.

He flashed his credentials and the guard, M. Salvador, opened the gate for him. Gibbs walked down the dock eyeing the hundreds of boats moored in the marina. He shook his head at the fiberglass yachts.

Gibbs found Ducky with Ziva, Tony DiNozzo, McGee and Palmer who waited on the end of the dock near where a luxury yacht is moored. The small dingy sat next to the yacht in the water with two men in black wetsuits helping two men in the water. A body was brought out of the water by a body sleeve. Gibbs stopped behind Ducky Mallard.

"Still not out yet?" Gibbs asked upon his arrival.

"Tell me about it." Ducky sighed. "They get slower and slower every year."

"Army?" Gibbs asked.

"Certainly looks that way." Ducky shook his head. "However, from past experiences I think its best not to presume what she is until we verify her identity."

Harbor police and NCIS divers pulled the body onto the dock onto the tarp where Ducky stood at the edge. McGee took photos of the body and the dingy while the group of divers shifted the body over onto the tarp. Ziva took measurements of the body and began sketching.

"There we are!" Ducky took a quick look. "It's about bloody time."

Ducky and Gibbs squatted next to the body looking for clues.

Ducky did his best thinking out loud. "No bruising or obvious signs of trauma. Strange, there's nothing to indicate how she got into the water."

Tony shrugged. "I think she was murdered and dumped here."

Ducky nodded in agreement. "Probably a good guess, Anthony. We won't know much else until I get her home. The water has done its damage."

Jimmy smiled. "Of course. All the little bugs eating away at the body. They could be eating away forensic evidence."

Ducky stopped to look at Palmer in annoyance. Gibbs noticed the look on Ducky's face and looked up and over at Palmer. He returned his attention to the corpse and pulled a pair of tweezers from his pocket. He moved the tweezers over the woman's hair and pulled a white piece of debris from its place. With his other hand, he opened an evidence bag and handed it DiNozzo now standing at his side.

"Get that to Abby pronto!" Gibbs ordered.

Tony nodded seriously. "Right, boss."

Gibbs stood up. "McGee, pictures of everything." He looked to the gate and pointed at the crowd gathering watching the recovery. "Including them. I want every face taken and have Abby download them and run facial IDs. Ziva, find out who owns the boat."

It was odd that there was not much to do. The evening proved much too dark to continue diving tonight for any evidence left at the bottom. That would have to wait until there was enough light to make the dive safely. Gibbs left the scene walking back up the pier towards the gate.

**Chapter Four**

NCIS headquarters at the Naval Yard in DC operated twenty-four hours a day. A much smaller crew worked the graveyard shift. Then again, agents did not really have specific hours at the office. And tonight was no exception.

Agent Tim McGee stepped off the elevator only to pause in mid step. He found the metal door to the Forensics Lab missing at the hallway. The door was not left leaning against the wall nor did he spy it anywhere along the hallway. He frowned deeply wondering what was going on. Cautiously, he moved forward towards Abby's laboratory. It appeared there was some construction going on in the NCIS basement he was not made aware.

"Does Gibbs know about this?" McGee had to ask.

McGee paused again at the entrance to the laboratory itself. There was a glass enclosure cut into the wall on the inside of the new threshold. The sunken entrance into the lab no longer existed. It appeared the metal door was to be placed back on the new hinges once they were re-installed. Noting the changes, McGee walked forward.

A floor to ceiling glass enclosure now occupied the corner of the lab where the door was once located. It encompassed Abby's refrigerator immediately to the right as soon as he entered the laboratory. To his left, he stood parallel with the equipment against the wall. Before him was a door that opened to the right towards the wall. In the wall to the left of the door was a rectangular pad that clearly had the outline of a palm scanner. It was bright red at the moment. McGee looked all around and found the glass was at least four inches thick.

"Okay, there's been some changes to the lab." McGee frowned and spoke. "Does Abby know about this? Where is she?"

It was then McGee realized that the remainder of the lab had not changed all that much. With the exception of the computer screens no longer facing the door, and the large screen from the far wall was now moved above the mass spectrometer. He could not see what was scanning from his position.

"Where the hell is Abby?" McGee whispered.

McGee tried to enter Abby's lab only to find the glass door locked. The palm scanner flashed red twice and then returned to continuous red. There was an eight and a half by eleven sheet of paper that read DO NOT ENTER on the glass facing him. McGee frowned in slight confusion. Then he noticed someone in the lab. McGee hesitated then knocked on the glass.

"Uh…hello?" McGee looked into the office area.

The glass between the laboratory and Abby's office was blurred with a design etched in polyethylene and stuck onto the glass then smoothed. The doors to the lab opened and a rather short woman with bright blonde hair pulled into a ponytail at the top of her head with loose stresses at her temples walked out from Abby's office. She wore a gray shirt, a short white lab coat with black slacks and school-girl black shoes walked over to and looked into Abby's microscope. He could not see her face clearly but he sensed she was cute. The one screen that faced McGee was turned off.

McGee knocked again. "Uh…who are you? Where's Abby?"

McGee paused then pressed call button above the rectangular press pad. There was a buzzing sound throughout the lab he could barely make out. His voice echoed through the lab.

"Uh, Agent Gibbs needs this run right away!" McGee paused then continued. "It's for a new case."

The woman at the microscope waved her hand over her head but did not look over at him. Then she pointed a finger at him and aimed it towards the floor.

McGee pressed the button again. "Where's Abby Sciuto?"

A small feminine voice came over the speaker above the palm scanner. "Leave it there. I'm busy field agent. Off you get."

Then she continued to ignore him looking into the microscope clearly absorbed in her task. McGee was unsure how she was able to project her voice into the speaker. He saw nothing in her hand resembling a microphone. But he remembered her instructions.

McGee glanced at the floor finding a plastic bin labeled 'FOR NEW EVIDENCE please leave in the container, perishables in fridge'. McGee paused then put the smaller evidence bag in the fridge unable to find another reason not to follow the instructions. He dropped the larger bag of evidence into the floor container.

"Where the hell is Abby?" McGee asked again and hesitated.

He frowned at the woman and then left the laboratory.

**Chapter Five**

Later that early morning, Gibbs listened on the phone watching DiNozzo typing away on his computer with the phone crooked into his right ear. It was unusual to find Tony so silent on the phone. Ziva was off on a coffee run for the team since it was her turn.

Gibbs answered the voice on the other end. "Uh huh."

McGee returned to his desk appearing rather stumped. Gibbs noticed his demeanor but directed his attention to DiNozzo at his desk now setting the phone down. Ziva arrived at the Squad Room with a file in her hand and four cups of coffee. She began distributing the coffee from desk to desk.

Tony spoke up standing up from his chair ignoring the coffee set on his desk. "Private Jillian Tucker went missing five days ago after a doctor's visit. Never made it home or reported in for duty the next day."

"Second year in the army." Ziva added setting Gibbs coffee on his desk. "No unusual activity on any of her accounts. Unmarried, no relatives in the area, and her CO has glowing commendations about Private First Class Tucker. There's nothing in her record to indicate she would just abandon her post or not tell anyone where she was going. Her cell and her purse are still missing."

Gibbs replied. "They're probably where she was killed." He took a long drink from his coffee.

Tony had to ask. "Robbery?"

Gibbs lowered his cup and looked to McGee. "McGee, you look lost. You get everything to Abby?"

McGee looked up at him in disbelief. "It's not Abby."

Gibbs turned to face McGee fully and tightened his jaw. Ziva and DiNozzo looked at one another then glanced at Gibbs. Clearly the boss was not aware of a current change in staffing.

"Not Abby?" Gibbs asked suspiciously.

Tony folded his arms amused at the situation. "Is she a short, cute…" He moved his right arm and lowered a flat hand indicating a shorter height. "…little lab person taking over the forensics lab while Abby's off chasing a serial killer in New York?"

Ziva glared at Tony just as surprised as Gibbs at the news. Gibbs turned to DiNozzo and glared at him. McGee's mouth gaped open with both eyes transfixed on Tony. Apparently he was the only one who knew Abby was off chasing the killer called Perfecto.

Tony winced under the stares from the team. "I take it you didn't know Abby was off chasing a serial killer, boss?"

Gibbs glared coldly. "Do I look like I know, DiNozzo?"

Tony felt like he was in Gibbs' cross hairs. "Ah…no, boss. I thought you all knew." He shrugged trying to play it off. "Sorry, boss."

McGee glanced at Gibbs then looked to Tony again. "How did you know about the woman in the lab?"

Tony finally admitted. "I saw her in the hall with Director Vance when I came in this morning. We haven't actually met…yet."

Gibbs glared at DiNozzo sternly. His hand gripped his coffee more firmly and the muscles in his jaw tightened once more. There was that little glimmer of death Tony knew so well in Gibbs' glare it unnerved him. Apparently, Gibbs was not happy that Abby was off in New York. Worse, no one told him about it unless Abby left a voicemail message that Gibbs would never get anyway. Boss hated using technology unless it was easy and uncomplicated. Tony knew the boss would never have kept Abby from pursuing her second serial killer however.

Tony did not know what else to do and said. "Sorry, boss."

McGee sighed in relief. "So she's just replacing Abby until she gets back?"

Tony nodded and avoided looking to Gibbs whatever the cost. He closed his eyes panning to Ziva. She was taking the news more calmly than the others. Had Abby discussed it with her before she left? Ziva did look surprised though, Tony reasoned. Maybe Abby did not tell anyone she was leaving so soon after all.

Gibbs looked to McGee letting his coffee sit on the desk while his fingers tapped the desktop. "I told you to put an ASAP on the evidence."

McGee shrugged. "The door was locked, boss. I put the evidence in the fridge and in the bin. I did tell her you wanted everything ASAP."

Gibbs stood immediately and grabbed his coffee heading towards the lab.

**Chapter Six**

There was no sense in going back home in the wee hours. So, Ducky Mallard and Jimmy Palmer returned to the NCIS morgue to begin work for the day. If they needed a rest, there were a number of places one could find a comfortable couch to catch a nap or two on a few floors up.

Ducky worked on the autopsy of Private Jillian Tucker. The chest was flapped open on the table and the innards were removed for weighing and logging. A cloth was draped over the hips to aid if keeping tools and any evidence away from accidental drops off the table. Bright light highlighted the workspace. It was then that Jimmy Palmer walked in after dropping off evidence to Abby's laboratory.

Ducky worked diligently inside the body of the private. "Mr. Palmer, have you met our new temp?"

"Oh…Dr. Hature?" Jimmy nodded and smiled. "Yes…I met her earlier once we got back from the field. I had to put the evidence in the fridge. She's working on another priority case at the moment and the lab is on lock down. She appears quite…amazingly…cute."

Ducky laughed. "She is an attractive woman, yes. Her track record's quite impressive as well. I'm surprised she didn't get picked up by the FBI or CIA first."

Jimmy smiled at Dr. Mallard. "She does seem quite smart."

Ducky continued to work. "Dr. Hature's considered a genius among our kind, Mr. Palmer. Quite an asset to NCIS if I do say so myself. She would've been placed here in DC if she hadn't chosen Hawaii over DC."

Jimmy looked to Dr. Mallard in surprise. "You mean Abby was her second?"

"Isn't it hard to believe, Mr. Palmer, that our Abby Sciuto was second to someone else?" Ducky found nothing out of the ordinary.

Jimmy nodded bleakly. "Hard to believe, Dr. Mallard, yes. Abby's quite amazing…as far as…forensics is concerned."

Ducky did not have time to reply.

Gibbs walked in with his coffee still annoyed by the morning news. "What have you got, Duck?"

Ducky looked over at the supervisory agent of the Major Case Response Team. "A dead private first class, I'm afraid. No bruising, no ligature marks, not even a scratch. It's a shame when we lose them so young."

Gibbs was undaunted. "No cause of death?"

Ducky walked towards Jethro. "I believe we won't find her cause of death easily, Jethro. It'll be another few hours before I'll have to resort to the blood tox screen."

Gibbs nodded. "I'll leave it to you then."

Ducky glanced at Palmer then back to Gibbs. "Have you met our new temp, Jethro?"

Gibbs did not appear happy. "I'm about to…" With that he left autopsy.

Ducky and Palmer looked to one another both finding themselves smiling. Perhaps it was time worked together that they understood the silent simmer Agent Jethro Gibbs took when he found something not to his liking. Something did not sit well with him about Abby Sciuto's replacement.

Jimmy replied. "He didn't appear happy."

Ducky smiled however. "I guess he's quite upset Abby's not here." He paused and smiled shortly. "I'm curious as to how Jethro might react to Hach, or Dr. Hature to you, Mr. Palmer. What I wouldn't do to be a fly on that laboratory wall."

Jimmy frowned and looked to Dr. Mallard. "You anticipate there'll be a problem?"

Ducky nodded amused. "Indeed. Hach is a true scientist. Her reputation far preceeds anything Jethro has had to deal with before here in DC. Not even Director Vance can alter the mind of Hach once she sets it. I doubt Jethro will know anything about her. And I'm quite sure she'll have done her homework before stepping into our pond. It'll be interesting to see how they'll get along."

Jimmy frowned. "She is blonde, sir. As I understand it…Agent Gibbs…doesn't like those types…of women."

Ducky Mallard looked at Palmer and smiled. "Color can be changed."

Jimmy leaned closer. "She's not a true blonde?"

Ducky shook his head. "Not naturally, no. I met her once a little more than ten years ago at a lecture on the dynamics of rigormortis after the twelve hour at a conference in Seattle. Our Dr. Hature was much colder and quite a different color back then."

Jimmy smiled then frowned. "I believe I've read some of her work in school."

"As you should." Ducky continued working. "She possesses quite an impressive keen and agile mind but sometimes she lacks a warm spirit. I once believed she was the most unwomanly of women. However, in the last year she appears to have warmed a bit."

"So that's why she won't get along with Agent Gibbs?" Jimmy was intrigued.

"Oh, I'm afraid they'll get along." Ducky nodded then smiled. "They'll just have to get over the shock first."

Palmer frowned as if not understanding Dr. Mallard's meaning. Ducky thought for a moment then set his equipment down and left autopsy. Jimmy hesitated then followed quickly after the doctor. If he was heading to the laboratory, he wanted to join the crowd.

**Chapter Seven**

Gibbs stood at the glass enclosure of Abby's laboratory holding his coffee. "This is new."

His eyes swept the lab. The red on the palm reader indicated that the laboratory was on lock down. He followed the glass enclosure from floor to ceiling then back up again. Abby mentioned once before that the laboratory needed an overhaul. However, the budget would not allow for it.

Whoever this woman was taking Abby's place for the interim marked her territory clearly. He could read nothing of the work being done since the screens were faced away from the door.

Gibbs whispered. "A woman who doesn't like surprises."

The lab was empty except for the lights of the equipment he could barely hear. The lights were dimmed above except for lamps near the prep table and the microscope. The equipment around the lab appeared to be running and operating normally. The screen that did face him across the way scanned the AFIS database. He noted the empty bin on the floor and the refrigerator Abby used to store excess supplies was left in place and now was meant for new evidence holding. He took a long sip from his coffee. Gibbs tried the door finding it would not open. He had to try at least once. Gibbs sighed impatiently.

Then a short, blonde haired woman walked out of Abby's office holding something the size of a bowling ball wrapped in plastic. It was opened at the top revealing a dark black material. If she saw him standing there, she ignored him heading for the prep table.

Gibbs knocked on the glass door in order to obtain a response. The woman stopped in mid-step towards the prep table and glanced over at him. The hair cascading from her temples covered a majority of her face hiding her features from sight. However, he could tell she was in her mid-to-late thirties. She frowned and pointed towards the fridge and evidence container on the floor. Then she shook her head irritated and continued with her task.

Tony appeared behind Gibbs. "Hey boss, I talked to Tucker's family. She's got a sister up in Connecticut. Married, two kids, husband's in the CIA. They'll be down in the morning to identify the body." His eyes paused on Dr. Hature working in the lab portion. "Was there something wrong with Abby's lab before?"

Gibbs only stared at the woman. "No. Apparently there are new standards for laboratories at NCIS. Abby's lab was the last to be renovated. Looks like they finally got started."

Tony went out on a limb. "I take it you can't get in either?"

"What was you're first clue, DiNozzo?" Gibbs inquired agitated.

"Good thing we didn't bring a Caf-Pow today." Tony winced after he said it. "Dr. Hature doesn't drink caffeine as I understand it." He remained quiet after that but was clearly amused by the situation.

"She's holding my evidence hostage." Gibbs walked to the sliding glass door as if to intimidate it to open. "What the hell is she doing in there?"

Tony stepped forward and pressed the button above the palm reader. The buzz echoed throughout the interior lab.

"Hey, Hach?" Tony could hear a faint echo in his ears. "You running the crime scene evidence Agent McGee brought in earlier?"

Hach took a rectangular device from her pocket and pressed a button on the remote. Tony and Gibbs were reminded of Abby's remote control for her stereo. Her voice sounded slightly muffled from the rectangular pad at the door.

"Not yet, Agent DiNozzo." Came the pleasant female voice.

"Hey, she knows who I am!" That earned a slap up the back of the head from Gibbs. Tony lost his smile and shrugged. "I guess she found Abby's lab deficient to put this glass stuff in."

Gibbs angrily slammed the rectangular button with his thumb. "Whoever you are, I need that evidence run immediately!"

Hach pressed the button once more and spoke evenly without a misstep in proceeding with her analysis of the ball-like thing on the table. "Got something else to do first."

Gibbs pivoted angrily and impatiently walked towards DiNozzo. He stopped and returned to the button and jammed his finger on it. "I need it today!" His angry voice echoed through the lab.

Dr. Hature remained silent with her eyes on the evidence as she returned to Abby's office. Seconds later she came out with more evidence in her hands. Hach refrained from looking at him. She moved onward with her investigation.

Gibbs slammed his hand impatiently on the access panel. The door would not open so he pressed the button to speak but decided there was nothing to say to her directly. Gibbs had enough.

"Why isn't the door opening?" He asked impatiently.

Ducky Mallard appeared in the new threshold behind Gibbs and Anthony DiNozzo. "Because you're security clearance isn't high enough, Jethro."

Gibbs spun around to face Ducky Mallard, his eyes flared in anger.

**Chapter Eight**

Tony was the first to leave the forensics lab before Ducky and Gibbs went off to talk about the new temp at the NCIS naval yard. Or so Tony surmised happened. Ducky and Gibbs probably went back to Ducky's office to have a private chat unless Gibbs barged into Director Vance's office to demand access to the lab. He could only guess how Gibbs would go about taking his handling by the new temp. Tony returned to the Squad Room all too happy to recount the events that unfolded in Abby's Lab.

Tony was all excited recounting the story. "And then Ducky says…you're security clearance isn't high enough, Jethro."

McGee's eyes went wide as his fingers tapped over the keyboard. "No way!"

Ziva was surprised. "I bet that made Gibbs angry."

"Oh…yes he did." Tony's hands went wild with excitement. "I don't think I've seen Gibbs that angry since the days of Director Sheppard's reign."

Ziva wanted to know. "Since when did Gibbs not have high enough security clearance? She's just a lab tech."

Tony raised an eyebrow, his voice low with an edge of danger. "But, is she just a forensic tech?"

Tony and Ziva leaned over each of McGee's shoulders staring at his computer screen. They hacked into the laboratory to find out what was going on. However, Hach was a step ahead of McGee. All they got was snow in the window that used to show them Abby's laboratory. It was their way of hacking into the case.

McGee shook his head. "I can't access her file either. I tried everything except hacking into the NCIS database."

Ziva slapped McGee on the back of the head.

McGee lurched forward but continued typing. "Ow!"

"Well, why didn't you try?" Ziva asked angrily and folded her arms.

McGee swiveled towards Ziva to explain. "I did try! Accessing the NCIS database without leaving a trace takes time. Whoever did the coding on Dr. Hature's file knew how to hide their trail very well." He paused to frown then the light bulb went on. "Wait. Now I'm on it."

Tony was confused at all the silent techno-speak in McGee's head. "What's up, McStumped?"

McGee froze then staring at his computer in surprise and amazement. "This is very strange, guys."

Ziva leaned closer. "Don't leave us hanging, what's strange?"

McGee glanced at Ziva. "I'm tracking coding off her file from the FBI, CIA and Homeland Security. What does she do for NCIS exactly?"

Tony shrugged and answered. "My guess, Dr. Hature's a mole for the FBI sent to spy on us."

Ziva and McGee exchanged a quick glance.

McGee rolled his eyes. "It doesn't mean anything. All it means is that she's worked for all three agencies in addition to NCIS. But someone's keeping her files hidden on purpose. Gibbs won't like that."

Ziva was not convinced and folded her arms standing up. "A forensic specialist hardly has access to anything remotely top secret for active cases."

Gibbs suddenly appeared and walked to his desk. "Are you three done yet?"

Tony was the first to stand at attention. "Hey boss, nothing with the sister appears hinkey. She says there was trouble with a boyfriend in the past but they've been over with for some time. He hasn't been around for the last six months."

Gibbs added. "Trevor Jenkins, he's an ensign on the Eisenhower."

Tony finished for Gibbs. "He's been out to sea for the last six months. There might be another boyfriend from last year but I haven't got a name yet."

McGee tapped a few keys to switch gears. "I dug deeper into Private Tucker's email accounts but found nothing out of the ordinary. She barely went anywhere online." He began tapping away at his computer even faster.

Ziva added. "Private Tucker had few friends and kept to herself mostly. Surprisingly, those that did know her spoke kindly of the girl. She cared about others, helped anyone who needed it, and never left a stray behind. She did a lot of charity work too. Many didn't know her to be public with affections nor did she speak of personal relationships. Though she did receive some complaints last year for a rather rough relationship with a boyfriend. The neighbors didn't get a name."

Gibbs was thoughtful for a moment. "Find the old boyfriend, Ziva."

Ziva nodded and headed for her own desk. She rounded the small desk and sat down. Her fingers flitted across the keyboard to look up the name on-line for known addresses and possible aliases.

Tony shrugged. "That's all we got…so far, boss."

Gibbs got to his feet. "DiNozzo, McGee, get to her apartment."

Gibbs left the squad room as Ziva and Tony grabbed their gear to head out. It was relatively early in the day yet. He wanted his evidence analyzed now. If Dr. Hature's place in NCIS was assured by a higher security clearance, he needed a way in to look at the temp's history. But that would have to wait until he closed the case.

TO BE CONTINUED…


	11. Episode 4: The Temp Part 2

**NCIS Season 9**

**Episode 9.4.2**

**THE TEMP**

**By: Lady JenDragon**

**Disclaimer:** We know the drill. But I must declare my own characters as MINE, MINE, MINE!

**Author's Notes:** Let me know if there are any major mistakes. I'm preparing to move soon so I will not be able to update for a while. Enjoy.

* * *

**THE TEMP **

**PART TWO**

**Chapter Nine**

Gibbs entered autopsy as Ducky Mallard closed the door to the body drawer number 109. He walked over to the end examination table and waited. The table was cleaned and no one else was about in the room. Jimmy must have been sent off on an errand leaving the two alone.

Ducky turned to the dour expression on Gibbs face. "If you're here for my report, I'm afraid I've got nothing to add. The details should be in the toxicology report."

Gibbs asked directly. "Strangled?"

"Yes, from behind." Ducky nodded. "Our killer was right handed when he grabbed her. She struggled but there was little she could do. Her throat was crushed when she died. He was taller and stronger than our Private Tucker."

Gibbs stood still. "Then why is there no bruising on her neck if it was crushed?"

Ducky folded his arms and walked over to lean on the examination table. "My guess, she was already dead when her throat was crushed."

Gibbs remained quiet.

Ducky continued. "I think Miss Tucker was poisoned before someone strangled her. They probably didn't realize she was dead until their hands were around her neck."

Gibbs found he had little to work with at the moment. "Anything else?"

Ducky nodded. "Besides she was twelve weeks pregnant, no. I've sent some particles to Abby…to Hach, eh, Dr. Hature for analysis."

"Might explain why she was killed." Gibbs took a drink from his coffee.

"I doubt she was murdered because she was pregnant, Jethro." Ducky shook his head. "No, I believe she was part of something much more sinister. I'd look at angry co-workers and jealous boyfriends. Often times it's far simpler reasons why someone murders another. Reminds me of a time when I served in Germany…"

Gibbs glared at Dr. Mallard.

Ducky stopped in mid-sentence. "…it really doesn't matter where the case is concerned. What's on your mind, Jethro?"

Gibbs trained his eyes on Ducky Mallard. "You knew Abby was chasing a serial killer?"

Ducky smiled knowingly. "She called me last night as she rushed off for her last minute flight. Director Vance approved of her sudden absence. Somehow I don't think Dr. Hature's sudden appearance at NCIS was 'last minute'."

He ignored the last part for the moment. "Did she say how long she'd be gone?"

Ducky shook his head ever so slightly. "She never mentioned how long it would take. It's a serial killer she's chasing, not a horse. They don't operate with a set schedule you'd prefer, Jethro. I can say with some certainty that Abby won't be back this week."

Gibbs left autopsy annoyed.

**Chapter Ten**

Vance sat at his desk in a gray suit, white shirt, with a gray tie. He listened to someone on the phone discussing an issue with security breach at another NCIS location across the country. Gibbs barged into his office.

Vance interjected. "I'll have to get back to you on that, Mr. Secretary."

Gibbs walked over to Vance's desk and stood at its edge. "You allowed Abby Sciuto to run off to New York when I have a new case? When were you going to tell me?"

Vance glared at Gibbs unphased by the agent's brazen behavior. "Last time I checked, I don't need your permission to send my people anywhere. Miss Sciuto asked to be on the Perfecto serial case. She's been tracking related cases for the last two months following the clues from the last two years once she was read in by the FBI. The FBI's happy to have her. Makes us look good to the other agencies."

Gibbs spoke softly. "I need her here."

Vance smirked. "I take it you met Dr. Hature?"

Gibbs nodded then shrugged. He unhappily drank from his coffee cup and sighed deeply. Vance smiled then stood up.

"Locked you out of the lab?" Vance paused. "I didn't think you'd like that but she's only following protocol. Guess you didn't like her."

Gibbs replied coolly. "I don't know her."

Vance liked what he saw in Gibbs' eyes. "You're going to have to deal with Hach until Miss Sciuto returns. Her lab at Norfolk's being assembled as we speak so she doesn't have anywhere to be right now. We're lucky to have her while Miss Sciuto's away. She's the best at NCIS."

Gibbs turned to leave the Director's office. At the door he paused and turned to Vance. "How much do you know about Dr. Hature?"

"Enough to know I'm more afraid of her than I am of you." Vance pushed his hands into his pockets.

Gibbs smirked then left the office. He watched Agent Gibbs close the office door. Vance was not sure if allowing Dr. Hature to operate out of Abby Sciuto's lab was a good idea yet or not. Few things at NCIS were a mystery to him. Hach was one of them. He did not like people who were shadowed in mystery and wrapped in a quadruple federal agency cover up. It was before his time at NCIS.

Not that he would not wish Agent Gibbs to start prying away at Dr. Hature's secrets. All he had to do was introduce them to one another. If Agent Gibbs caught scent of anything suspicious, his dogmatic personality would not rest till he uncovered the reasons. Vance wanted to know more about Dr. Guinevere Hature.

**Chapter Eleven**

Ziva entered the apartment of Jillian Tucker through the front door opened by the manager on site. Tony walked in behind her slipping his hands into gloves. She took out a pair for herself and proceeded to slip them on.

"Thank you." Tony spoke kindly to the elderly manager named Eddie Ginn. "We'll let you know when we're done."

Ziva scanned the neat apartment living room. Two sofas were placed in an L-shape against the far wall and under the dining room half wall to the right. She could see straight through to the kitchen on the other side of the tiny dining area. To the left were the wall with two doors; one to the bedroom and one to the bathroom. Nothing appeared out of place. And nothing was hung on the walls.

"I don't see a computer."

"Might be in the bedroom." Tony replied heading to the open door on the right.

He entered the bedroom as Ziva skimmed the coffee table stacked with magazines of all kinds. She turned to find the entertainment center left intact with a modest television, DVD player, and quite a few movies in her collection.

Tony emerged from the bedroom. "Nothing going on in there. No computer, no laptop, nothing to indicate she was connected. Her closet's untouched and it looks like she just did laundry."

"But she had an email account?" Ziva frowned. "McGee checked her history from the office."

Tony looked to Ziva concerned. "Private Tucker wasn't killed here."

"Someone must've kidnapped her first and took her somewhere else." Ziva followed the logic. "Her last appointment was a doctor's visit."

Tony agreed. "We should start there and work our way through her day. I'll call McGeek to trace her whereabouts from her cellphone."

Ziva nodded she agreed with the agenda. They continued to look closely at everything in the apartment on their way out. Nothing stood out.

**Chapter Twelve**

Tony and Ziva walked into the doctor's internal office and were seated in two chairs facing a massive oak desk. It appeared out of place in the contemporary room. Several plaques of achievements hung on the wall behind the desk to promote a sense of pride in his work. Doctor Herald was clearly revered by his patients waiting in the room upon their arrival.

"I hate doctor's offices." Tony shivered as he looked around.

The remainder of the room was left undecorated obviously to draw your attention to the doctor's achievements and his desk. It bothered him that some professionals chose to advertise and boast about their achievements while others kept them hidden. Tony just had a strong dislike for doctors in general.

Ziva frowned. "Why?"

"Reminds me of sterility." Tony brushed his arms from touching the armrests of the chair. "I feel like I'm some experiment unable to escape from the horror that awaits. You can never trust doctors, Ziva."

"Oh?" Ziva smiled. "You afraid you're going to end up on a cold, metal examination table with a nurse coming at you with a seven inch needle?"

"Stop it!" Tony whispered. "My cousin chased me around the house with the needle used for Aunt Gladys' epidural. Why anyone would give birth at home is beyond me. I've been scarred ever since."

Ziva smiled noting the ammunition for later taunting.

At that moment, the doctor walked into the office. Tony and Ziva stood and took out their ID's and badges for the doctor to see when he got closer. Dr. Herald was a little over six feet tall, graying brown hair, green eyes and a pleasant face. He walked towards the NCIS agents and rounded his desk to sit in his chair.

"Yes, Agents DiNozzo and David." He sat down. "I was told you're here about Jillian Tucker."

Tony began. "She was found dead this morning."

Dr. Herald appeared genuinely surprised and upset by the news. His eyes gleamed with tears held back, his chin quivered. He took a few moments to pull himself together.

"Jillian, she's like family." He shook his head. "I've known her parents for the last twenty years. Her father and I served together in Germany when we were in the army together. Well, before I went to med school and graduated."

Ziva nodded. "We're here to confirm she was getting tested for pregnancy at her last appointment."

Dr. Herald nodded. "I guess it doesn't matter now." His shoulders dropped. "She came to me about the pregnancy yes. She already figured she was pregnant. She was having serious bouts of morning sickness through out the day. I gave her some vitamins to take the edge off. Morning sickness can't be cured with drugs. I prescribed crackers and rest."

Tony noticed the doctor's distraction. "Did she say anything else to you?"

"I'm not sure if it means anything." He shook his head. "Jillian appeared upset over something. When she arrived at the office, I met her in the waiting room. She hid away from all the windows and the doors. She had me open the door to the back so she could run through it to my office."

"She mention why?" Ziva was interested in details.

Dr. Herald shook his head. "She didn't feel safe telling me when I finally got her settled. Jillian was sure she was being stalked by someone. Had something to do with her last mission. I tried to get more out of her but she left my office under the pretense of another appointment."

Tony added. "Private Tucker was abducted between her appointment with you and her next destination. Did she tell you where she was going?"

Dr. Herald thought for a moment. "I only asked her to tell me where she was headed as a safety precaution. She said it wasn't important, just a trip to the bank."

Tony and Ziva looked at one another.

**Chapter Thirteen**

Gibbs walked up to the glass door and it opened automatically. He hesitated before walking into Abby's laboratory and stopped just inside the glass door. He found Dr. Hature sitting in the high chair at the microscope, her eyes focused on looking into the microscope. The overhead screen was turned off.

"You must be new." He spoke softly

She did not flinch and replied without looking at him. "I've been with NCIS fourteen years, Agent Gibbles."

Gibbs frowned. "It's Gibbs."

She replied evenly her eyes trained on her work. "Relax, it's running."

Gibbs ventured an attempt to be civil. "Any prints?"

"Everything's drying now." Hach looked up to focus her eyes then returned to the scope. "Please tell your field agents to mark 'wet' on the bag next time. I would've got them drying sooner had I known the victim was found in the water."

A reasonable request so he asked. "DNA?"

Her response was eerily precise. "Processing."

"Can you give me any idea how the victim died?"

Hach looked up over the scope at the wall and recited. "The evidence hasn't given me any conclusive indicators to declare any concrete understanding of how the victim died nor can I deduce a possible attack scenario prior to receipt of the autopsy results from Dr. Mallard which he has not sent to me yet. The toxicology report won't be ready for another two hours. If I'd known I'd have to work with ancient equipment, I'd have found an alternative lab."

"English." Gibbs requested.

Hach frowned and looked back into the scope. "That was in English. I was informed you are an intuitive investigator. Miss Sciuto spoke highly of you."

Gibbs was becoming impatient. "Simple English then."

Hach shrugged. "I got nothing yet, come back later."

Gibbs rolled his eyes and crossed the floor to Hach. He pulled her chair out from the table and whipped her around to face him in agitation. It was then he stopped when his eyes focused on her small face with an expression of annoyance.

His voice had a dangerous tone sounding almost as a threat. "When I send evidence to the lab…"

Hach interjected. "…my lab is in Pearl, Agent Gibbs. The archaic devices in this lab are hindering my own investigations. And you are hardly in the position of making demands. Miss Sciuto warned me about your impatience."

"What did she tell you exactly?"

Hach blinked twice to focus her eyes. "That you're Gibbs and you have specific expectations when you work on a case. You're dogmatic, motivated, a caffeinated-coffee freak, set in your ways, and you usually don't stop until the job is done."

Gibbs was taken aback. "Abby said all that?"

"Abby uses multitudes of words to express her opinion." Hach looked at Gibbs then continued. "I was merely paraphrasing. That and I found your file illuminating to say the least."

Again he was taken aback. "You read my file?"

Hach nodded. "Yes. Director Vance spoke of you when he asked me to take over for Abby while my lab at Norfolk is completed. It was only logical that I got to know your team since this is the lab you coordinate your investigations through."

Gibbs was unsure how to proceed. "How long?"

Hach glanced at her watch on her right hand. "Results won't be in for another few hours."

"You have an hour." Gibbs turned to leave.

"No, it'll take a few hours, Agent Gibbs." Hach disagreed.

Gibbs came to stand next to her.

Hach looked up and spoke evenly unphased by his show of aggression towards her. "If you think you'll intimidate me like you do Miss Sciuto, you don't know me very well. Now if you're done laying down the rules, I really need to get back to work. Off you get."

Dr. Hature curled her index finger and thumb together then turned and pinged Gibbs in the forehead. She got off the chair and moved it back to the microscope and climbed back into it. Gibbs stared at the smaller Abby replacement. Before she returned to work, she tossed a glance over her shoulder at him.

She warned him. "Scram, Gibbs."

Gibbs, clearly agitated, left the lab.

**Chapter Fourteen**

Tony and Ziva were huddled around McGee's computer watching the activities going on in the lab. They all jumped when Hach pinged Gibbs in the forehead and lived to tell about it. One thing was clear; she did not allow Gibbs to intimidate her. Gibbs left the laboratory on the screen.

"She said the same thing to me." McGee remembered. "'Off you get.' She waved me off too."

"What just happened there?" Tony was stunned. "Gibbs just let her ping him?"

Ziva was amused. "It seems Abby warned her about Gibbs."

McGee could not believe his eyes. "Not even a flinch from her when Gibbs gave her the infamous glare."

It was there for everyone to see. Dr. Hature was a woman who could not be intimidated by the immovable Agent Gibbs. Was there some reputation McGee was not aware of yet? Ducky appeared to know Dr. Hature according to Tony's version of things that occurred down at the lab. Both being doctors, he guessed that was a given. They probably met somewhere along the way during some NCIS event or another. He should ask Ducky later.

Tony lifted his eyes to the sky and closed them then smiled. "I do love a strong woman."

Ziva had to bite. "She'd have to be strong…" She smiled at Tony now glaring at her. "…and desperate to bother with you."

"Are you three done yet?" Gibbs asked when he arrived in the Squad Room from the direction of the lab. He paused realizing this was the second time today he said the same thing to them. That bothered him.

Tony turned serious and headed for his desk. "Private Tucker was headed to a bank after her doctor's appointment, boss. Dr. Herald mentioned she was upset and paranoid someone was stalking her. He didn't know who and he didn't know which bank she intended to go. I checked into all the banks within a five-mile radius of Dr. Herald's office but none of the banks in the area recorded her ever being there. We're waiting on a few more surveillance tapes yet before that's conclusive."

McGee added. "None of her accounts have been accessed since she was reported missing. I don't find any off shore accounts in her name. Nor can I find any local safety deposit boxes. If she was headed to a bank, she never made a withdrawal or a deposit."

"Her apartment was clean and she didn't have a computer." Ziva wondered what they were missing. "Dr. Herald said something upset Private Tucker on her last mission. But that was to Camp Pendleton for an eight-week medical training program."

Gibbs thought for a moment. "Her whole unit attended the training?"

Ziva shook her head. "No. Just Tucker, Privates Benjamin Collier and Carmen Trujillo. All went for the same medical training."

"Find Trujillo and Collier." Gibbs ordered.

Ziva looked to Tony and both got to work to locate the where about of the two Army Privates. McGee tapped away on his computer removing the window showing the lab.

**Chapter Fifteen**

Hach sat at the desk in Abby's office lost in thought. She appeared conflicted over something but she would not allow her thoughts to stray into darkened subjects. Her fingers tapped the desktop softly contemplating her situation. Several machines beeped incessantly indicating completed results.

McGee walked in to find her daydreaming. "Are you okay, Hach?"

Hach looked up at McGee and behaved as if irritated over something. "My goal was never to be in this situation." She leaned back in the chair behind Abby's desk.

McGee frowned finding it odd the woman felt comfortable in lab that was not hers. "Uh…what situation was that?"

Hach shook her head annoyed. "Never mind." She got to her feet and walked into the laboratory. "Unimportant. Come along."

McGee wondered why he was sent down to retrieve the report from Hach. "Gibbs wants whatever you got."

She waved her hand as if dismissing Gibbs' demand for answers. "Yeah, yeah. There was enough oxycotin in her bloodstream to keep her high for a few hours. Not her first and only drug of choice."

McGee stated the obvious. "Tucker was partying then?"

Hach shook her head again. "I'm afraid not. She was purposely drugged to keep her from fighting him off. DNA suggests rape but there's no match yet. Also, Private Tucker was pregnant at the time. She went for a doctor's visit because her stomach was unsettled."

McGee nodded. "Tony and Ziva confirmed that, morning sickness. The vitamin shots were administered after the doctor's visit. High dose meant more for the baby than the mother. Nothing unusual there."

"Or during the doctor's visit." Hach offered. "The oxycotin was administered either with the vitamin shots or shortly afterwards. Unfortunately, with this equipment, I can't get a better feel for the age of the oxycotin."

McGee ignored the last part. "Jillian Tucker was having an affair with Dr. Herald?"

"Possible." Hach glanced at the computer screen hung over the mass spectrometer. "The drugs weren't in her system long enough for the body to break them down completely. I wanted to run a sequence of daughter compounds but Abby's equipment doesn't allow for that. I'm running what I can but I don't hope for much."

McGee looked to Hach quizzically. "How'd you know that?"

Hach frowned and looked to McGee annoyed by his question. "Tissue samples Dr. Mallard sent up proved that, Agent McGee." She pinged McGee in the forehead to get him focused again. "Also DNA found on Private Tucker is her own. I'm also running the fetus' DNA. If Dr. Herald is the father of the baby you'll have motive."

McGee stared at Hach unsure how to respond.

Hach pinged McGee again and waved him towards the door. "Don't stand there staring at me. Go tell your Agent Gibbs what I told you!"

McGee nodded and left the laboratory quickly.

**Chapter Sixteen**

McGee returned to the squad room where Ziva and Tony stood before the plasma screen. Tony's arms were folded in defiance. He stopped to listen to their exchange. Clearly they were disagreeing about something involving the case.

Tony shook his head in disbelief. "I'm sorry, there's just no way any woman's this clean. No arrests, no complaints, nothing odd about our dear Private Tucker. Model soldier. Seems too good to be true. And you know what they say about things too good to be true."

"That it usually isn't." Ziva added confidently.

Tony got annoyed then flustered. "Is, Ziva!" He corrected. "If it's too good to be true, it usually is!"

Ziva shrugged. "Whatever."

Tony dropped his head back and whispered perplexed. "Oh god, she's learned 'whatever' already."

Ziva rolled her eyes and added. "You can't suspect a woman for being too clean. Some people are just good some times."

Tony turned to defend himself. "Women are notorious liars."

Ziva shot back. "Men are just as likely to lie to get their way like women, Tony! Isn't it true that you tell lies every time you try to get a date?"

Tony pursed his lips and made a face at her. "Ha ha, very funny. I'll have you know that I always tell the truth. Women can be scary. There's no time for lying."

McGee frowned. He gave up on the conversation and sat at his desk. It was disturbing to him how normal the constant back and forth between Tony and Ziva became among the team. A day at NCIS was not a day unless those two exchanged barbs.

But he wanted to be part of the conversation. "I totally agree." Ziva and Tony turned to him as he spoke. "Dr. Hature scares me more than Gibbs."

Her face contorted into a confused expression. "You're scared by Hach?"

McGee queried. "Hach?"

Ziva smiled at the familiarity. "Dr. Hature asked me to call her Hach. I went to introduce myself when we got back. It's some kind of nickname."

McGee frowned from his last encounter with the woman. "Well, Hach just pinged me after telling me everything she found."

Tony winced faking horror. "Ooh…did the same thing to the boss. He hasn't been in a good mood since then either."

Tony and McGee went rigid. Gibbs stood directly behind Ziva with a coffee in his hand. He stared at the back of her head and slowly breathed on her. His eyes traced the curved of her neckline and looked past her ear towards DiNozzo and McGee.

Ziva folded her arms unknowingly being watched by Gibbs. "If she wasn't a woman, Gibbs would've hit her, I bet. But I guess everyone has they're limits. I must say, I like Hach. She's a bit direct but over all she's…"

McGee tapped away at his computer pretending to whistle. His phone rang and he picked it up a little too fast for normal. "McGee." He answered grateful for the interruption.

Tony DiNozzo tried to appear busy standing near the plasma screen.

Ziva realized her mistake and mouthed to Tony 'He's behind me isn't he?'

Tony veered his eyes to avoid telling her 'yes'. Gibbs had his own way of getting back at you if you gave him away. Ziva slowly turned to face Gibbs standing directly behind her. She made no attempt to explain.

"I like her." Ziva stated and walked past him to her desk.

Gibbs glanced at Ziva as she sat down then looked at McGee setting his phone back on its cradle.

McGee hesitated before he spoke. "Uh, boss. Abby's got…" He had to stop himself immediately. "…the lab's got something."

Gibbs rolled his eyes and walked past DiNozzo and McGee.

Tony and McGee looked to Ziva who avoided a head slap. But then, it was rare Gibbs touched Ziva. And if he did, it was not in front of them.

**Chapter Seventeen**

Gibbs arrived in the lab to find Dr. Hature standing at the microscope. Her head lifted slightly from the microscope humming. Her eyes were fixed on something of interest.

She did not look over at him. "What took you so long?"

Gibbs asked politely. "Were you expecting me?"

Hach shrugged at the scope and said matter-of-factly. "Abby mentioned you show up whenever she gets results and told me to look out for it. I'll have to text her you were late this time."

Gibbs ignored this. "What's so important?"

"Dr. Mallard sent up more tissue from the victim. Apparently there was some unusual substance found in the victim's hair on the right temporal side. I matched it to hair gel. There was a non-victim hair stuck in the gel and I was able to get DNA off it."

"You get a hit on AFIS?" Gibbs walked over to the computer screen.

Hach shook her head at the scope. "Nothing from AFIS so he or she isn't military. Now I've expanded the search to include all fifty states through FBI and Homeland Security databases."

"Anything else?" Gibbs glanced down at her.

"From the measurements taken from Dr. Mallard's autopsy, I've estimated the length of the hands to be eight and a quarter inches long. Quite large hands actually and definitely a man."

Gibbs cellphone went off at that moment. He pulled it from his waist and flipped the phone open.

"Gibbs." He paused. "I'm at the lab." Another pause, this one much longer than the last as McGee reiterated what Hach told him and to let him know that an old boyfriend was found. "So go find him, McGee. Take Ziva with you." He closed his phone.

"McGee tell you anything?" Hach inquired.

"Was he supposed to?" Gibbs asked.

"Yes." Hach rolled her eyes. "I updated him on the results."

Hach watched Gibbs leave the lab.

**Chapter Eighteen**

The dark blue Charger pulled to the curb of a quiet residential street. McGee got out of the passenger seat. Ziva exited the driver's side. The car doors slammed shut together.

McGee checked his PDA. "This looks like the place."

Ziva went off her memory from the phone call she received after Gibbs left the Squad Room. "According to the police report this is Michael Richards' last known residence. And he's Private Tucker's boyfriend?"

They walked up to the front door.

"Ex-boyfriend." McGee reminded. "He's a civilian and a very jealous one according to the police file. Apparently they had a number of very public and highly volatile arguments for the six months they were dating. The police were called out numerous times only to find they were gone by the time the police arrived. The neighbors were more than happy to complain about their time together."

Ziva smiled and said sarcastically. "Seems like a wonderful guy."

McGee shrugged. "If you like them that way." He paused. "You…you like volatile guys, Ziva?"

She smiled innocently. "Sometimes they have their uses."

McGee frowned at the innuendo and smirked. "Hymm."

Ziva pressed the doorbell when they reached the front door. The ring echoed throughout the interior of the house.

Ziva peered into the window but the view was blocked by a thick drape. "Maybe no one's home?"

"Maybe." McGee agreed.

Footsteps were heard on the tile behind the front door. It opened slowly to an elderly woman dressed in a brown dress, white sweater and dark brown slippers. Her hair was mostly white with a hint of brown at the top. Her eyes were aged blue and her skin sagged showing her age.

Ziva flashed her ID and badge to the woman. "Mrs. Richards?"

Mrs. Richards smiled at McGee and completely ignored Ziva. She got annoyed and glared at McGee who smiled at the woman. He pretended not to see Ziva's response to the woman's treatment of her.

Mrs. Richards was impressed with the young man on her front porch. "Yes, young man?"

McGee flashed his credentials. "Agent McGee and Agent David with NCIS."

Ziva flashed her credentials again when Mrs. Richards looked over at her. Again, she was immediately ignored, the attention on McGee. Ziva stifled a desire to yell at the woman but refrained herself from public humiliation.

"We're looking for your son, Michael." Ziva stated coldly.

She shrugged and answered to McGee. "I haven't seen him in a few months. He's been floating around friend's houses since he broke up with his girlfriend. Took the break up the pretty badly."

McGee queried. "Jillian Tucker?"

Mrs. Richards nodded unhappily but her expression was happy. "Yes! Such a wonderful girl! Jillian was so pleasant and sweet and most helpful around the house too. It's a shame Michael wasn't smart enough to hold onto her." She paused. "Is Michael in trouble?"

McGee kept his cool. "Uh…no. We need to speak to him." He handed his card to Mrs. Richards. "We're working on a case he might be able to shed some light on. If you talk to him, or see him, please have him give us a call."

Mrs. Richards stared at the card. "Is it regarding Jillian?"

Ziva looked at Mrs. Richards despite being ignored for most of the conversation. "What makes you think it involves Jillian?"

The elderly lady looked at McGee and smiled. "NCIS only gets involved with military personnel. Since my son wasn't enlisted and Jillian was the only military woman Michael ever dated, I naturally concluded she may be the reason why you want to see my son."

McGee shook his head. "We need to talk to him." Tim smiled at Mrs. Richards. "Please let him know we stopped by."

Mrs. Richards nodded. "I…I will." She paused and asked cautiously. "Is Jillian ok?"

Ziva had enough. "She's dead, Mrs. Richards."

Mrs. Richards did not hide her shock and grief at the news. McGee glared at Ziva for bursting the woman's hopes of seeing the girl again regardless of the fact Jillian Tucker was now dead.

Her voice was shaky but Mrs. Richards wanted to know. "Ho…how?"

McGee remained somber but caring. "We can't comment on an on-going investigation, Mrs. Richards."

After a few minutes of Mrs. Richards recount of Jillian Tucker's visits, Ziva and McGee left the front porch. Neither was terribly convinced that Michael Richards was not part of the reason Jillian Tucker was dead. At least for the time being.

TO BE CONTINUED…


	12. Episode 4: The Temp Part 3

**NCIS Season 9**

**Episode 9.4.3**

**THE TEMP**

**By: Lady JenDragon**

**Disclaimer:** Don't own NCIS or characters already associated with the show. I must declare my own characters as MINE, MINE, MINE!

**Author's Notes:** Let me know what you think of the new character.

* * *

**THE TEMP**

**PART THREE **

**Chapter Nineteen**

McGee and Ziva exited the elevator walking towards their desks side-by-side. They carried their field bags and appeared at odds with one another.

McGee was firm. "I'm just saying you could've said it a little less direct. You almost gave her a heart attack."

Ziva's expression turned from blank to annoyed in less than a second. "I saw no reason to keep the truth from her. Ignoring me the entire time was an insult."

"You're supposed to be professional, Ziva." McGee advised. "Even if how the person treats you without warrant is considered insulting. Still, you should've said nothing."

Ziva dropped her bag behind her desk and took her gun from its holster. She opened the left side drawer and placed the gun in the drawer. Angrily, she pulled out and sat in her chair.

She got defensive and said. "I did what I thought was best for the case. If Michael's guilty, he's been running for a few days. Knowing Jillian Tucker's dead will only put the pressure on him to either turn himself in or make a run for it."

McGee reached his desk and dropped his bag on the floor behind his desk. Gibbs walked towards his desk passed McGee and placed his coffee on the top. He glanced between Ziva and McGee.

Gibbs wanted to know. "Where's the boyfriend?"

"Behind you." Came the medium voice.

Gibbs turned around to face Director Vance and a rather tall man. Michael Richards wore a white polo shirt with Khaki pants, black shoes, and a black blazer. His hair was pulled back with gel and kept in place. He leaned forward on the table clearly distraught.

"It appears once NCIS arrived at his mother's house, he followed you back to the Naval Yard." Vance eyed McGee then Ziva.

"I wanted to find out what was going on." Michael walked forward.

Vance moved to stand beside Gibbs and whispered. "I'd hate to think NCIS was easy to follow."

McGee and Ziva looked to one another both offended by the director's innuendo. Neither was concerned about being followed or tracked. And Michael Richards was not considered a threat of any kind to NCIS or its agents.

Gibbs ignored Vance and looked to Richards. "This way, Mr. Richards. We have some questions we'd like to ask you."

Gibbs escorted Richards from the Squad Room. Director Vance turned to look at McGee and then Ziva and decided not to stick around. He walked towards the stairs leading to the fourth floor and his office. McGee looked over at Ziva.

"Where's Tony?" His cellphone went off, McGee pulled it out and answered. "Speak of the devil." He paused. "Where are you, Tony?"

Tony DiNozzo's voice could be heard clearly on the other end of the line. "Found Private Trujillo…dead. Get Gibbs and Ducky. It's a mess."

Ziva eyed McGee suspiciously. The plot just thickened in their case. Where did Tony get the tip to find Trujillo?

**Chapter Twenty**

Gibbs sat across the table from Michael Richards in Interrogation Room One. Michael appeared calm and collected. He leaned against the back of the chair.

"I wasn't expecting you." Gibbs began. "You're well dressed for someone on the run."

"I'm not on the run, Agent Gibbs." Michael's eyes veered around the room slightly nervous. "I'm just homeless at the moment. Where I live has taken me to some strange and low places. I'm just glad I have friends willing to take me in."

"Why are you homeless?" Gibbs already knew the answer.

"Made a lot of mistakes." Michael smiled curtly. "Since Jillian and I broke up, I've been a wreck. Quit my job, played hookie, stopped seeing my mother, and just screwed around."

"Sounds like a downward spiral."

"I was." Michael swayed back and forth then admitted. "I already know what you're going to ask, Agent Gibbs. Last time I saw Jillian was about a week ago. She was shopping when I found her." He paused. "All right, I followed her to the grocery store."

Gibbs asked. "Why?"

Michael sighed. "I…I've been trying to get her…to take me back. I messed up bad with her the first time around. I was a jerk. More than I'd like to admit."

"Is that why you came into NCIS?" Gibbs narrowed his eyes. "You felt guilty?"

Michael folded his arms. "I saw the NCIS agents at my mother's house. I figured Jillian was in trouble and I wanted to help out. Jillian's not the type to get involved with anything illegal. If she was in trouble then the least I owed her was a helping hand."

Gibbs stared at Michael Richards. "Jillian Tucker's dead."

Michael's went wide then glistened with tears. "No." He refused to accept it. ""She can't be dead…I"

There was a knock on the door. McGee entered the room and waved Gibbs towards him. Unsettled with Michael Richards show of emotion, he got up from the chair and walked over to the door.

"What is it, McGee?" Gibbs asked softly.

"We found Private Trujillo." McGee lowered his voice more. "Tony's there now. Ducky's on his way. Also, Private Collier went missing at the same time Trujillo did. His CO wants NCIS to investigate."

Gibbs looked at McGee. "We're already investigating, McGee."

"I told Corporal Higgins that." McGee shrugged. "Didn't seem to understand that. Told me Army CID been snooping around his team lately."

That was a new lead. Gibbs sighed finding no other way to hold Michael Richards. Still he did not want to let him go. It was best to let Richards simmer while they went to the crime scene.

**Chapter Twenty-One**

Tony met the NCIS Major Case Response Team truck outside the vacant pier-side building. This area of the old docks was abandoned for the time being. A developer was interested in re-developing the area to renovate the location into a new residential neighborhood with condos and lofts. However, the city was limiting the project's movement forward. It remained in the planning phase for the time being.

"I've missed my team." Tony whispered. "What the hell took them so long?"

The LEO's were kind enough to cordon off the streets to limit access to the crime scene. Ziva parked the truck next to the NCIS Coroner's truck and got out. McGee appeared unphased by Ziva's driving lately getting out tapping on his phone.

"Bout time you made it here." Tony commented as Ziva and McGee crawled out of the truck getting gear together. "I was feeling a little lonely for once."

Ziva noted the area. "Isn't this close to where Private Tucker was found?"

"Mile away." Tony verified. "Something fishy is going on here."

McGee stopped and sniffed. "I couldn't agree more. It smells like hell. What is that?"

Tony glared at McGee. "Leftovers."

Gibbs Charger screeched to a halt beside the NCIS truck. The NCIS coroner's truck was abandoned for Ducky and Jimmy Palmer were already inside at the scene. Gibbs got out of the vehicle, slammed his door, and immediately followed the flow of people coming in and out of the open door into the building.

Ziva followed Gibbs with Tony and McGee coming up the rear. Tony watched Ziva's ass, tilting his head to the side as they walked. McGee did not appear to notice, his eyes focused on his PDA.

"Private Carmen Trujillo was last seen two nights ago after she got off shift." McGee frowned. "She was doing lab work at the clinic on base. Why did she come here?"

The interior of the building was completely open. There was minor debris from past uses but all in all, the place was clean. In the center of the room was a chair with the body sitting in it. The head was sunk low to the chest and dressed in Army fatigues. Her hair was left loose, her arms tied behind her back and ankles were bound.

Ducky was knelt beside the body peering up into the face unseen from Ziva's vantage point. She hesitated suspecting that the woman was tortured for information before she died. Crime scene's did not bother her normally but the woman appeared in bad shape if she was only missing for two days.

"I thought you said it was a mess?" McGee looked to Tony as they arrived at the scene. "Looks intact to me."

Tony appeared somber and replied rather spooked. "The abdomen was cut open, the shirt and undershirt's holding it all in still."

McGee scrunched his face into a disgust expression.

Ducky heard Tony's assessment. "Quite right, Anthony." He looked to Palmer. "We must be gentle with this one, Jimmy. Get bags to hold her all in when we transfer to the gurney."

"How did she die?" Gibbs wanted to know.

There was nothing else really left behind to collect. Gibbs did a quick scan of the surrounding ground and discovered nothing overly useful. McGee, Ziva and DiNozzo would do a better search and tag everything found. Anything that could lead them to a suspect was worth taking the time to find.

Ziva took photos of the scene and used Ducky for scale. Jimmy stayed out of the way standing with the gurney until he was called in to remove the body. It would be a feat to keep the innards intact during the transfer.

"I'm afraid she bled out." Ducky pointed to the dark spot on her abdomen. "Private Trujillo was probably cut in a dashed pattern and her clothes placed over the wound to act as a dam. The skin would eventually give way under the pressure from the escaping fluids. The blood leaked through the clothing and onto the floor in a puddle behind the chair. Mr. Palmer, please get a sample for Dr. Hature." He paused. "Once I get her back, I can verify my suspicions. This was no way for anyone to die, Jethro."

Jimmy nodded and got to work immediately. He obtained a swab container from the bag they brought with them to the scene. He walked around to the back of the chair and squatted down. Quickly, he sunk the exposed swab into the pool of black liquid on the floor. It was odd to see blood this black outside the body.

Gibbs noted the blood pool. "Have you seen this before, Duck?"

Ducky appeared concerned and shook his head. "Not in my tenure. There are few things I haven't seen. It constantly surprises me that I can still be surprised." He looked to Tony DiNozzo. "I'm done here. We can move the body now."

Ducky stood up and walked away. Gibbs walked out behind Ducky leaving the collecting of the body to the others. Ziva, McGee and Tony continued to process the scene. The evidence would have to be run immediately. Gibbs pulled out his phone and dialed the number to the laboratory. There was a feminine voice on the other end when the line was picked up.

"Dr. Hature, Gibbs." He paused to hear no response. "We have another body. My team will be in, in about an hour or so." She replied evenly she would be there waiting and he nodded then hung up.

For once things were going his way.

**Chapter Twenty-Two**

Corporal Bruce Higgins stood with Agent Gibbs in the NCIS conference room. Higgins wore his Army dress uniform, his stance was erect with shoulders taut, hands behind his back. His blonde hair was cut short similar to those in the Marines.

"You're telling me that Private Tucker and Trujillo were medical trainees." Gibbs thought for a moment. "Now two of the three trainees are dead. Sounds suspicious to me."

"They went to Pendleton for training sir." Higgins was at a loss for explanation. "They were sent three months ago on a C130. They returned three weeks ago by C130. Nothing about the training or the flights was reported. None of the other medical trainees, a total of forty, reported odd behaviors from Collier, Trujillo and Tucker. Nothing from the staff reached me of bad or strange behaviors and there was nothing that occurred that was reported while they were at Camp Pendleton. I'm at a loss, sir."

"You mentioned CID was looking into them?"

"Yes." Higgins nodded. "About a week ago, Colonel Jacobs walked into my office asking about my three trainees. Several containers went missing at Pendleton containing industrial diamonds bound for Afghanistan the week my team returned to Norfolk. Once their training here at the Naval yard began, I didn't think about it again. The diamonds aren't worth much on the black market, Agent Gibbs. They're only good for cutting other diamonds. My team went for medical training not combat training sir."

Gibbs remained silent. "Any of your team accused of stealing them?"

"No, sir." Higgins declared. "CID was investigating the entire class. The classroom was located in the building next to where the diamonds were being stored. CID was asking routine questions. I can't imagine those three getting into trouble. They were all good soldiers. Finding out Jillian and Carmen are now dead…it sickens me someone thought they were involved."

"You inform your team of the investigation?" Gibbs wanted to know.

Higgins shrugged. "They came to me asking questions about why CID visited them." He paused. "I couldn't tell them details so I kept it vague. Only Ben Collier appeared to know anything about the robbery that occurred. He was seeing one of the MPs on duty when the robbery occurred. Naturally I let CID know about the relationship. I told him that anyone who smuggled worthless diamonds wasn't worth losing a career over."

"How did he respond?" Gibbs watched Higgins body language.

Higgins paused. "He said nothing more and left. I suspected he may have known something but I knew he would never tell me."

Gibbs finally understood. "Maybe he told his friends."

Higgins froze at that moment. "I didn't think of that, sir."

Gibbs left the conference room with a little more clarity.

**Chapter Twenty-Three**

Night fell over DC. Gibbs arrived at the laboratory to find Hach at the microscope again. Like the remainder of his team, Hach also kept late hours. However, she appeared remarkably refreshed for someone working a sixteen-hour day. Her fingers gingerly scanned the view. She was amazingly still except for one foot moving back and forth on the footrest of the bar stool.

"If you're here for anything I might've found, you'll be disappointed, Agent Gibbs." Hach spoke evenly. "Your coffee gave you away. I can smell it from here."

Gibbs remained silent and glanced down at his fresh coffee. He could smell nothing in the lab indicating coffee. Or was he immune to the smell of coffee now?

"You don't drink coffee?"

Hach shook her head only once. "I gave up caffeine years ago. The blood from the clothing belongs to the victim found at the scene. It was diluted but the markers were intact. DNA match came through for first victim not the second. DNA on the second vic's running to verify identity only. The hair with the gel from the first scene belongs to Private Collier. The database didn't have Collier in the system. I thought that was rather odd. Apparently, he's much too new. I had to call to have Benjamin Collier's new recruit record added to AFIS so I could run the search once more. He finished boot camp a week prior to going for medical training at Pendleton. His DNA matched in seconds to the hair."

Gibbs smirked. "What can you tell me about industrial diamonds?"

"That Jillian Tucker had diamond dust on her interior pocket when she died." Hach tapped the keyboard four times. "I found it after drying her clothes out. Clearly something she slid into her pocket was covered in the stuff."

Gibbs veered his eyes to the screen now above the mass spectrometer. He had a hard time getting used to the new set up. Would Abby approve of its location once she returned?

"So she was involved." Gibbs commented softly. "Anything else?"

"Other debris and particles were from her time in the water." Hach tapped the keyboard again three times and the image on the screen changed. "She was dumped four hours prior to being found. I believe she was weighted but whatever held her down broke free and she floated. Unusual for someone recently deceased. Her clothes trapped air and acted as a ballast tank carrying her to the surface where she was found by the thieves."

"How did you know about that?" Gibbs was suddenly intrigued.

Hach was not known for lying and she was not about to begin now. "I read the preliminary findings on McGee's computer."

Gibbs smiled shortly. "You hacked into McGee's computer?"

Hach shrugged at the scope and replied. "He spies on Abby a lot it seems. There's a feeder line he opened years ago linking his computer to the video cameras in this lab. I thought I'd return the favor."

Gibbs smiled.

"The oxycotin injected into Tucker's bloodstream was laced with cyanide. Whoever injected her, intended to kill her regardless of the circumstances. Private Tucker was never going to be set free. When her throat was crushed, she was already dead. The samples Dr. Mallard sent up from that area is proof enough that the person used her neck to hoist her over something."

That made Gibbs silent. He left the lab shortly after that lost in his own thoughts.

**Chapter Twenty-Four**

Gibbs arrived in the Squad Room to find his three agents working. McGee worked highly focused on his computer. A bit too focused on his computer. Gibbs smirked thinking McGee might have been watching his conversation with Hach.

"Talk to me." Gibbs stated taking his chair behind his desk.

"Benjamin Collier lived on base during his training here." Ziva read from memory. "According to his records, no family or friends are known in the area. Came from the state of Michigan, central area. He was orphaned as age ten and went through the foster system until at eighteen he was left on his own. He showed aptitude for medicine. Enlisted at age twenty-five and excelled in basic training. His CO was surprised Collier wanted to be trained in medicine."

McGee added. "Nothing odd on his financials. If he was involved with some diamond smuggling, then he kept his paper trail to a minimum. No extraneous checking or savings accounts are registered in his name. I don't find any off shore accounts either. He's almost a phantom."

Gibbs found something odd. "He's been trained to be a phantom." He glanced at DiNozzo. "Run his prints for known alias' through every database through your contacts at the Baltimore PD, DiNozzo. If he's got a record I want to know about it. We might get something from a non-federal angle. McGee can get you the fingerprint scan from Dr. Hature."

Tony found the ease of Hature's name off Gibbs tongue uncomfortable. It appeared Gibbs made peace with her presence at NCIS. He nodded and picked up the phone.

McGee found something else. "I've been trying to track down Collier's cellphone." He was having a tough time. "He's been turning it on and off at regular intervals."

Tony put the phone down. "Baltimore PD's on the trace. I emailed the fingerprint over to my contact."

"Why steal industrial diamonds?" Ziva wanted to know.

Gibbs answered. "Industrial diamonds are used to cut real diamonds."

McGee agreed. "If someone stole those diamonds during medical training, they might have been trying to smuggle them across the country."

Gibbs got to his feet and headed towards Autopsy.

**Chapter Twenty-Five**

Gibbs arrived in autopsy just as Ducky sat down at his desk. He hesitated before pulling the chair up to the desk to review his findings. Somehow he felt he was not alone. Ducky glanced over his shoulder at Jethro now standing at his left shoulder.

"You're here for my findings then?"

"Was Trujillo cut open to remove something from her intestines or was it torture?"

"Torture." Ducky refused to hide the truth. "If she was smuggling any diamonds, they were most certainly not in her body. I did X-rays of the entire abdominal region. Nothing showed up. However, I did take it a step further and dissected a rather large section of the intestinal tract. No diamonds, residue of diamonds, or dust was found."

"Then why was she and Private Tucker murdered?"

"Someone suspected they knew who took the diamonds." Ducky offered.

"Trumped?" Gibbs said the word out loud to convince himself it was possible. "The diamonds were going to be stolen or were stolen by someone and hidden somewhere for transport."

Ducky picked up the logic. "But the transport container was put on the plane with the trainees one their way back to the Naval Yard. Either accidentally or on purpose. Those who originally stole the diamonds must've lost the container before the trainees left."

"One of them could've found the container on the plane and tried to hide it?" Gibbs reasoned. "Or it was stowed on one of the trainees for transport to DC without their knowledge. If they did find it, three friends would try to decide what to do with the diamonds until someone could be alerted. Private Tucker was sure she was being followed. She feared someone was onto her."

Ducky did enjoy these brainstorming sessions since it was not very often Jethro opened up about a case. "They probably hid it if they were honest soldiers."

Gibbs answered confidently. "If they did find the container, what did they do with it?"

Ducky folded his arms. "Either way, someone involved with the original theft on each end would have to know what plane the trainees were coming back on. This means they were tracked down one by one."

"And Collier's the last one." Gibbs turned to leave. "That leaves only one person on this end who could've possibly known when they were to be back here."

**Chapter Twenty-Six**

Corporal Higgins sat in Interrogation Room One. Gibbs entered the room, slammed the door, threw down a file folder and pulled out the chair. He sat down across from the corporal studying his expression as he settled.

"You knew when your trainees would be back." Gibbs stated. "You were the only one who would know times and dates of the planes landing." He paused for the words to sink in. "That leaves you the only possible suspect I have."

Corporal Higgins frowned. "What are you talking about?"

Gibbs slammed his hands down on the table hard and got to his feet. He leaned on his hands closing the distance between him and the corporal.

"Don't play dumb with me!" Gibbs demanded. "Where's Collier?"

Higgins only stared back in confusion and replied evenly. "He's missing, sir."

"Good luck." Gibbs glared at Higgins then went to leave the room.

Higgins stared at Gibbs. "Wait!"

Gibbs turned at the door, his hand on the handle. Higgins only stared at Gibbs unable to say anything.

"Collier." Higgins began. "After you questioned me I went snooping around his unit and his barracks. The guy's pretty straightforward talking to him so I began to wonder. I found out he was supposed to head up to the Hamptons this upcoming weekend. There was a woman he's supposed to meet. He told several guys in his unit she was hot and loaded. Asked him to pick up a package in California for her." He paused. "I had nothing to do with his disappearance."

Gibbs left the room.

**Chapter Twenty-Seven**

Tony and McGee arrived at a commercial building a half-mile from the previous crime scene. It was a vacant building with four stories and abandoned since 1998. Tony turned off the headlights as they approached the building choosing to park behind a large stack of decaying wooden crates.

They exited the vehicle and began a quick jog towards the building. For an abandoned building, there were lights on the first floor shining out of the windows. Strange but since no one worked around the area, it would not attract anyone's attention and certainly not anytime soon. Tony and McGee found an entrance door left ajar. They thought it was suspicious but cautiously entered the building.

After moving through the first office size room set up as a reception area, Tony led McGee through a doorway. They slowly followed along the long hallway with no doors towards what appeared to be a warehouse. At the threshold, Tony paused and cleared the right and left corners before allowing McGee to follow him in.

The large room contained one chair abandoned. Dark red splotches on the floor indicated someone was recently there. McGee moved to the chair, took out a swab from his interior pocket and sunk it into the dark puddle.

McGee whispered. "It's blood."

Tony nodded and looked around. His eyes focused on something on the floor fifteen feet from the chair heading towards a rusted roll-up door. It was large enough for a car or truck to fit through easily. He walked over to find fresh tire tracks. Near the track, he found a silver necklace on the ground. Tony picked it up finding they were Army dog tags. McGee arrived at Tony's location.

"Collier was here." Tony held up the dog tags. "But I don't think he was here willingly."

"He's the fall guy?" McGee asked getting a nod from Tony.

"Our smuggler's moved him." Tony pulled out his cellphone. "No point in killing the guy you plan to use as the scapegoat. They'll kill him when they reach their destination and we'll think that's the end of it."

**Chapter Twenty-Eight**

Gibbs listened to DiNozzo's report over the phone. Ziva worked fast at her computer looking up information she figured was pertinent. It was then that Hach arrived at the Squad Room with a file in her hand. She placed it on Gibbs desk. Gibbs held up his finger asking her to wait.

Hach moved over to Ziva's desk. "What's going on?"

"Tony found where Collier was being held." Ziva stated her eyes staring at the screen. "We tracked intermittent cellphone activation. He was moved before we got there."

"Collier knows how to make his movements known." Hach folded her arms. "Have you tried the search again?"

Ziva sighed. "That's McGee expertise. I don't know how to do that."

Hach smiled then. "Where's McGee's desk?"

Ziva pointed and smiled when Hach turned to walk over. She rounded the desk and sat down in his chair. Her fingers tapped the keys quickly and a small smile formed on her lips.

"I should warn you, McGee encrypts his computer." Ziva warned.

Hach seemed unphased by this. "Nothing I'm not capable of cracking. Oh, look, I'm in. Now, where is that file?" She easily found what she wanted and transferred the data to the large screen next to Gibbs. "Collier? His cellphone was activated four minutes ago for fifteen seconds. He's leaving clues to where his captors are taking him. Smarter than they think he is."

The map of the DC area shifted heading south towards the North Carolina and Virginia border. Gibbs got off the phone with DiNozzo and swiveled to look at the map. He glanced at Hach sitting at McGee's desk.

"You got into McGee's computer?" Gibbs was impressed.

"Yes." Hach appeared unconcerned with the importance of her feat. "His encryptions are elementary and almost ancient. Few know the new version out nowadays. I guess that's a good thing."

Gibbs got to his feet. "Anything on Higgins, Ziva?"

"He's got a boat in a marina in North Carolina." Ziva tapped away. "A bit over his pay grade, I'd say. I'm looking at which marina it's docked. It appears he's been moving it around lately."

Hach tapped away at McGee's computer. "Higgins has a wife with a penchant for spending money. Bought herself ten-thousand dollars worth of jewelry last week with a credit card. Then she paid the card off with cash yesterday. Looks like Higgins and his wife are planning a one-way trip to Mexico tomorrow. Their boat leaves port at eight am."

"He's got the industrial diamonds." Gibbs got angry.

"He's made the exchange already?" Ziva inquired. "I thought he killed Trujillo and Tucker to get the diamonds to make the drop?"

"Tucker had the diamonds." Gibbs realized. "He took them from her after he found out where she hid them. Then Higgins found out that Trujillo and Collier knew about the diamonds. They were nothing more than loose ends."

Ziva nodded that his reasoning made sense. Hach looked appalled at McGee's desk. They had to get to that marina before the Higgins did. If they made the exchange already, then money would be reaching their account soon.

"Get going, Gibbs." Hach ordered. "I'll find that boat and the offshore account. I'll transmit it to McGee's PDA while you're en route. I doubt they left a paper trail here in the states. Not if they went to this much trouble to kill two people and have a third in custody."

Gibbs wanted to glare at the woman but she made too much sense. Ziva nodded and grabbed her field bag. They left immediately.

Hach was on the computer for a few more minutes. She sighed and felt pleased that the boat marina was far easier to locate than she initially expected. The offshore account showed a five hundred thousand dollar transferred deposit for goods delivered yesterday. With a few taps on the keyboard, she transmitted the information to Timothy McGee's PDA. After leaving a little gift on the computer, she shook her head and logged off of McGee's computer.

**Chapter Twenty-Nine**

The harbor was home to more than three hundred boats and yachts. On the pier towards the end of the rows of boats, only two people were up and moving around eagerly prepping for immediate departure. Bruce Higgins dressed in a Hawaii shirt and khaki's jumped onto the boat and began getting it ready to set sail. The blonde at his side appeared unconcerned with the fact they were on a timeline and went below.

"Where's Collier?" He asked pulling the lines off the bow.

"In the front compartment." She spoke from below.

Once they were free from the dock, he turned the key to the engine. Nothing happened. He looked up as his wife, Beth, came up from below. She did not appear happy.

"You should've never told me about Collier." Gibbs said, a gun at Beth's back.

Bruce Higgins looked around as a Coast Guard ship arrived at his yacht with four men pointing rifles in his direction. Tony DiNozzo, Tim McGee, and Ziva David pointed their guns at Beth and Bruce Higgins. Bruce hesitated then put his hands up.

Gibbs held up a spark plug for Bruce Higgins to see.

Tony commented. "That was good trying to send us north while you headed south. What you didn't know was that Private Collier was activating his phone every time you moved him."

McGee added. "Cell towers record every number that activates at that tower and leaves a record."

Private Collier came out from below behind Gibbs. He appeared battered and bruised. His dark hair was mussed and his features marred by the scratches and swelling he received while in captivity.

"Thanks, Agent Gibbs." Collier spoke softly. "They would've killed me and thrown me overboard after they got out to sea."

Gibbs smirked. "Without a doubt."

McGee and Tony leapt aboard the boat to cuff the couple. It was then that Bruce Higgins swung out knocking McGee backwards over the side. Tim splashed into the water. Gibbs swung out, making contact with the back of his neck. Higgins fell unconsciously onto Tony unexpectedly pushing them both over onto the deck. DiNozzo landed first with Higgins on top.

**Chapter Thirty**

The next morning, McGee tapped at his computer finding his programs moving much faster than before. He was amazed by the processing speed and how swiftly the commands were obeyed. He found a file on his desktop.

He looked up at Ziva sitting at her desk. "Hey, was anyone at my desk yesterday?"

"Hach." Ziva smiled. "She was quite efficient with your computer."

Tony arrived for duty refreshed in a dark brown suit, white shirt, brown striped tie, and brown leather boots. He was intrigued by the conversation.

"Bet it took her a few minutes to get through my encryption code." McGee smiled.

Ziva was surprised. "Actually it took her three seconds. She thought your encryptions were almost ancient."

McGee froze and nearly choked. "Sh…she did?" He frowned. "She left me a file."

Tony wanted more. "Put it up on the big screen."

McGee shrugged and clicked the file open. He turned to find Dr. Guinevere Desdemona Hature's NCIS photo staring at him. It was her NCIS personnel file. Tony and Ziva both left their desks to get closer to the screen. Both stopped in front of the screen. McGee even left his desk to look since the file would not pop open a window on the computer screen.

Ziva's eyes widened. "She graduated high school at age eight?" She was confused. "How do you do that exactly?"

Tony narrowed his eyes. "She has four PhD's?"

McGee could barely contain his astonishment. "She got her first PhD from Caltech in Biochemistry at fifteen. She's a M.D., PhD from Harvard, and also has a PhD in Chemistry from Harvard by age twenty."

Tony slapped McGee on the shoulder. "Oh look, she went to your alma mater, MIT, and got a PhD in bio-engineering at age twenty-five. I didn't think there could be a bigger geek than you, McGeek. Guess we found her after all." He was suddenly creeped out and asked suspiciously. "How smart can one person be?"

McGee could find nothing to say about this.

Tony added. "There's no other information. Bet she left it to tease us."

Ziva was impressed. "No wonder she had no trouble getting through your encryptions, Tim. She left you this file on your desktop?"

"Uh, yeah." McGee felt odd. "I feel so violated."

Gibbs replied. "She wanted us to know whom we're working with."

Ziva, Tony, and McGee turned to face Gibbs drinking his coffee. They were perplexed why the temp left a piece of information on McGee's desktop even though he offered an explanation. Gibbs knew they would assimilate the information in their own way.

Gibbs felt a little more respect for Dr. Hature for revealing a little more of herself to his team. That she left the information on McGee's computer showed him she respected at least two of his team. The others would have to work for her trust. Just as she would have to work for his.

THE END


	13. Episode 5: Clues Part 1

**NCIS Season 9**

**Episode 9.5.1**

**Clues**

**By: Lady JenDragon**

**Disclaimer: **The usual…not mine. Dr. Hature is my character though. I needed to throw a wrench into the system sort to speak. Shake 'em up and let things roll!

**Author's Notes: **I do love a good old-fashioned mystery.

* * *

**CLUES**

**PART ONE**

**Chapter One**

The two-lane highway was backed up for most of a mile. Most of the cars were beginning to pull out of line and turn around and head back to where ever they came.

The dark Dodge Charger contained three people, a man with graying hair sitting behind the wheel, a younger Goth woman in the passenger front with pigtails, and a woman leaning against the backseat behind the front passenger. Jethro Gibbs sat behind the wheel wearing a black coat, blue polo and white undershirt visible where the polo parted in the top.

Abby Sciuto wore all black including coat and a rather shiny rhinestone dog collar, a deviation from her usual attire while working in the passenger seat. Ziva remained in her field attire too tired to worry about her appearance after rummaging around in hay barn all day.

"You think we're going to make it back tonight?" Abby looked out the window.

It was rare for her to accompany the Major Case Response Team to a crime scene. However, the crime took place in northern rural Virginia three hours away and the Navy wanted NCIS to handle the investigation of the triple homicide. All they had were the three corpses and a lot of physical evidence to run once they returned to headquarters at the Navy Yard.

It turned out that two Army privates and a Navy Lieutenant were found dead in a barn by the owner of a vacant farm off rural route seven off the 281. Robert Barnes found the boys when he came to clean out the place so the real estate agent could show the property to a developer. With the proximity to the interstate, the property was large enough to warrant a subdivision with only a few small towns close enough to make an increase in population possible.

"I doubt it." Gibbs responded softly. "The storm's come through early."

Abby sighed. All three victims were shot in the chest by a rifle at close range. They were able to secure a number of rifles from the locals to make a comparison. The local police were instrumental in rounding up the locals to take enough information for their investigation. If an arrest were possible following analysis, the LEO's would handle the arrest on their end.

"Great." Abby pouted silently. "I had this RAD party to go to tonight."

"RAD party?" Zivas queried from the backseat.

"Friend's Halloween party." She got all excited. "Live music, bobbing for apples, haunted mazes and a good old fashioned hay ride too. It was going to be a great night."

"Not in this weather." Gibbs shook his head.

**Chapter Two**

Behind them was the NCIS Major Case Response Team field vehicle with two men inside only a few years apart. Both were still dressed in their field attire since they left the crime scene almost four hours ago. Anthony DiNozzo sat behind the wheel gripping the steering wheel tightly then released the tension in his fingers. Occasionally he cricked his neck bending his head side to side. Tim McGee played on his phone most of the trip and continued to look stuff up on his phone since traffic started.

Tony hated driving in traffic. "I told Gibbs we should've taken the main freeway back. But no, he headed this way instead."

McGee checked his watch and sighed. "So much for Halloween plans. I've downloaded the files of the three victims. I'm sure we'll stop soon."

"Not until we've found a long winding road with a looming haunted house at the end of it." Tony lowered his voice to a creepy tone as if introducing the story. "There's a Halloween party in progress. Little do they know there's a sadistic killer waiting in the shadows until one by one, they all die."

McGee took a breath and looked at DiNozzo. "Please."

It was then he noticed the small road off to the right. Looked like a driveway to him. His eyes quickly followed it into the trees. McGee gulped when he saw the large house off in the distance with all lights lit up. He could barely make out the small parking lot before the front door. It appeared there was a large party going on there. McGee's eyes widened but he said nothing to DiNozzo in case the senior field agent was right and a killer was running around loose there. Tony moved the truck forward a few feet and stopped once more.

**Chapter Three**

The NCIS Coroner truck sat behind the first NCIS truck with a young man behind the wheel appearing bored and the older gentleman poking his head out the window to find out more about the hold up ahead. Ducky Mallard would see nothing of the mess ahead.

"The road's closed ahead but they won't tell us till we get there as usual. My guess, flooded like every where else since we started heading back." Ducky rolled up the window. "They did warn us the storm would hit tonight."

"Yes, but not like this." Palmer sighed. "I was supposed to go to this Halloween party with Brina tonight."

Ducky smiled at young love. "You call to tell her you won't make it?"

"I texted her I was on my way back but I'm stuck in traffic now." Palmer leaned against the seat cushion. "She's a little disappointed but she's going with her friends now. I wanted to wait until we stopped to send a 'yes' or 'no' text."

"I doubt you'll make it now." Ducky smiled. "You mind as well text her, we've got time, Mr. Palmer."

Suddenly they began moving forward at a steady pace. They went for another mile before they came to another halt again. It was not until they reached the blockade that Ducky realized that Jethro was out of the car talking to the Sheriff dressed in yellow rain gear and boots discussing the situation. This did not bode well for NCIS at the moment.

Gibbs turned and walked through the rain unphased. He stopped by the MCRT truck with DiNozzo and McGee telling them something. He looked back at Ducky and nodded then gave unintelligible instructions. Gibbs made his way back to the Coroner's truck coming to Ducky's side. Ducky rolled down the window.

"Road's flooded ahead in six locations, took out four cars earlier." Gibbs nodded behind the truck. "McGee said he saw a house a few miles back where we might find shelter for the night."

"Why not go back to that cute town?" Ducky asked. "There were a number of hotels there."

"Road's flooded behind us according to the radio." Gibbs squinted in the rain. "We're stuck here overnight. Some of the people ahead of us went back to knock on doors to see if they can stay the night at local residences. We should do the same."

Ducky nodded and rolled up the window again. They waited for Gibbs to return to the sedan. He turned the car around and led the way back to the driveway seen by McGee earlier. DiNozzo was quick on his tail and Palmer followed cautiously despite Ducky's urging him to drive faster so they would not get lost.

**Chapter Four**

The driveway up to the house appeared eerie and looming. The trees moved in the storm's raging rains and winds. Wet leaves blew across the driveway as the three vehicles made their way up the driveway. Unfortunately, there were so many car, the NCIS Coroners truck plugged the driveway. They had no choice but to stop.

Gibbs, Abby, and Ziva parked where the car fit and they ran for the front door under the large wrap-around porch. Once there, they realized the house was an old Victorian style house with four stories. It appeared to be quite a massive house even from the outside. The lights pouring out of the windows hid the party-goers inside from Peeping Toms.

Minute later McGee, Tony, Palmer and Ducky came up onto the porch out of the rain.

"See, I told you." Tony started. "Large looming house, party, the only thing we're missing is a sadistic killer." He avoided looking at Gibbs and Abby staring at him and lowered his voice. "I hate Halloween!"

McGee rolled his eyes. Ziva walked forward and rang the doorbell then. They stood huddled together in the chilly wind.

"Who wants to say 'trick or treat'?" Tony asked sarcastically.

Gibbs hand whipped out and smacked him up the back of the head.

"Kidding, boss." Tony replied more professional. "I love dropping in on unsuspecting parties on Halloween."

Then the front door opened and a woman dressed as Hera, Queen of the Roman Gods smiled at them. She eyes everyone on the front porch.

"Awe…you guys came with a plan." She laughed happily. "Good costumes."

Ziva looked to McGee and Tony. They certainly did appear in costume, all three were dressed alike. Then again, Ducky and Palmer wore their NCIS field uniforms as well. Gibbs appeared rather authoritative in his NCIS hat and field jacket.

"Yeah." Abby stepped forward brightly. "We're stuck in the storm. Can we bunk here for the night?"

The woman's eyes rolled. "Ah, more crashers then. Come on in, the more the merrier."

"There's others here?" Gibbs asked as he stepped through the threshold first.

Hera Queen of the Gods smiled and nodded. "Three couples came before you." She gave McGee and Tony an extra long stare of interest. "There's plenty of room, there's bedrooms all over this place. The place is rented for the party and over night. Wouldn't want to encourage drunken driving, now would we? Feel free to join us."

The foyer was well lit and large. It spanned two stories tall with large portraits of family members from the past. It was looming and dark in the upper corners. Abby took little notice and followed Hera through to the parlor where the open double doors to the right showed the party in full swing.

A man wearing a Peacock costume was dancing by the fireplace. Most of the furniture was moved to the walls to allow for mingling to occur in the middle otherwise it would have been a more impressive view of the grandeur of the house. There were quite a few people in various costumes, high quality costumes, mingling around the room. Most of the party attendees stopped to look at the group of new arrivals.

Hera stepped into the parlor and announced to everyone. "All, this is our latest group of refugees!"

The music stopped then. The Peacock stepped forward and smiled. He was flanked by Dracula and a gargoyle carrying drinks. There was a Goth, a geisha, black cat, Dr. Giggles, Papa Smurf, Scarecrow, Batman, the Chess-shire Cat from Alice in wonderland, George W., and a man dressed in a plain suit rounded out the group. The Peacock removed his mask and looked one-by-one to each member of the NCIS group. He was dark haired, brown eyed with a mustache and rounded features. He stood six two and a few pounds over weight.

"Oh my god!" Abby exclaimed and gave out a high-pitched squeal. "You're me!"

McGee and Tony did not recognize the short woman with black hair pulled into pigtails, a red corset pushing up her ample bosom, a transparent black shirt covered the corset and torso, with long black leggings and platform boots. A rhinestone dog collar an inch thick was around her neck.

Abby hugged the woman. "I'm so honored, Hach!"

"Hach?" Tony blinked twice and looked closely.

McGee, Ducky, Palmer, Gibbs, and Ziva all took a long look at the temporary forensic scientist waiting for her new lab in Norfolk to open standing before them much taller than normal. They never thought she would go this far.

She appeared so proper and…not like Abby at all when she first worked with the group on their last case. Dr. Hature, or Hach as she preferred to be called, lacked the flair of Abby. She was quirky but lacked the loveable Goth vibe they had grown used to over the years. However, Goth was a lifestyle not a Halloween costume for Abby Sciuto. Abby could barely contain her happiness at finding Hach at a Halloween party hugging her longer than normal. Hach had to peel Abby off to breathe.

"Glad you approve." Hach replied coolly but was glad to see Abby. "It was the best I could do on short notice. What are all of you doing here?"

"Road's flooded two miles south and eight miles north." Ziva offered. "We're coming back from northern…"

"Ah, the triple homicide?" Hach inquired.

"Yeah." McGee smiled moving closer, his eyes never leaving Hach. "Lucky for us you were having a party."

"Not me." Hach shook her head. "Fr…an acquaintance of mine, Roger Kyte is. He's the Peacock." She turned to the others in the room. "It's okay everyone, these are my colleagues who got caught in the storm. They work for NCIS."

"Awesome!" The Peacock smiled. "Then let's get the party going again. The more the merrier."

Gibbs walked towards Hach. "Where are the other couples?"

"In the library." Hach pointed absentmindedly. "Go back into the hall, turn right down to the left just before reaching the double doors to the kitchen."

Gibbs was the only one to walk out of the parlor in search of the other couples. He was not sure exactly why he felt the need to talk to the weary travelers. But if he was staying in a house with them overnight during a storm he wanted to know whom he was living with under the same roof. His gut did not like the idea of being caught in a strange place with three corpses in the coroner's truck overnight. The evidence would not be processed until much later and there was a sense of urgency in the case.

Hach's directions were spot on.

**Chapter Five **

Gibbs found the Library double doors were left open to the interior. A rather large room filled with wall-to-wall, floor-to-ceiling shelves of books, artifacts from traveling, and various knick-knacks. There were three sofas set in a U-shape in the center with a bold coffee table set in the center. Three couples sat on the sofas talking amongst themselves quietly, occasionally eyeing each other.

One man, probably in his late sixties with white hair, stood up wearing a simple brown suit with yellow collared shirt and western rope as a tie. His boots were leather and he wore a cowboy hat. His wife was dressed in a simple floral dress and shoes. She appeared a few years younger than her husband. She wore a simple wedding band on her finger.

The other two couples were higher class. Both men wore black suits and ties with white shirts and variation on gray ties. They were in the middle fifties for age and appeared to know one another. Clearly there was some animosity between them before he arrived.

Both women associated with the men in black suits were well dressed; one in a black dress and the other in a green dress with appropriate accessories. They both wore large diamond rings on their ring fingers. He guessed they were about ten years younger than their counterparts in age. Their outer coats were draped over the back of the sofa. Gibbs smirked as the women caught a glimpse of him and straightened.

"Evening." Gibbs began flashing his credentials. "Special Agent Gibbs with NCIS."

"Is there a problem?" The cowboy wanted to know.

"What's NCIS?" The cowboy's wife asked.

"Naval Criminal Investigative Service." Gibbs replied.

"I thought you were in costume." The woman in the black dress replied.

"No." Gibbs shook his head. "No problems either. Like you, just got stuck in the storm on the way back to DC."

"Storm came early." The man in the black suit with the woman in the black dress spoke. "I knew we should've waited until tomorrow to try driving home from Stephanie's."

"No need to complicate things Dale." The woman in black spoke. "We should feel lucky the party was going on other wise we'd have to break in to get out of the storm."

The cowboy and his wife rolled their eyes clearly offended.

Gibbs noted the responses and added. "The roads are washed out either way up the highway. Are you planning to wait here or stay the night?"

The woman in the green dress stood up. "It appears we have no choice but to stay the night."

Gibbs decided on the more direct approach. "Names please. It'll make assigning bedrooms much simpler."

"Dale Camdell and my wife, Stella." The man in black suit with the woman in black dress stood up. "We're heading to Connecticut to visit our youngest daughter away at college. Guess we should've taken the interstate."

"It's worse." Gibbs responded. "Flooded in sections according to the local PD."

"Jesse Powers. My wife, Sophia." The other man in black suit offered, his wife in the green dress. "Did they say how long the storm's supposed to last?"

"Couple of days." Gibbs offered no comfort. "We might catch a break and it'll hold off enough for us to get out in the morning." He turned to the cowboy and his wife. "And you are, sir?"

"Martin Wright and my wife Patty." He smiled at Gibbs. "You seem like a good man, Agent Gibbs."

"Some people might disagree with you." Gibbs nodded. "I'll find out what's going on with the rooms. Did anyone talk to you?"

Stella Camdell answered. "No one. They only offered us the Library for the time being until things got sorted out."

Gibbs nodded and left the library.

**Chapter Six**

McGee and Tony waited in the hall for Gibbs. They missed where he went and decided it was best not to join in on the festivities. Ducky, Palmer and Ziva however joined Abby and Hach at the party.

"So what do we do?" McGee wanted to know. "Has anyone even looked around the house?"

"Do what we do best." Gibbs walked up to the two agents. "Let's do a sweep of the upper floors, find out if there's anyone around. Also, check bedrooms. There's three couples in the Library looking tired."

"Since when do we sweep of a civilian house, boss?" Tony asked point blank and regretted it immediately.

"Since it became ours, DiNozzo." Gibbs glared at his agent. "Get Ziva to help in the sweep. Ducky and Palmer can figure out what to do with our cargo after everyone gets settled. Anyone find out how long this place was rented for?"

McGee caught sight of Ziva and Abby waving them over.

"Tonight only." Tony answered and smiled. "I thought to ask while you were gone."

"McGee, DiNozzo, work your way down from the top." Gibbs checked his watch. "I'll meet you going up."

Gibbs headed towards the stairs. He pulled his gun and checked the clip and re-holstered climbing the first step towards the second floor. Ziva and Abby arrived with Ducky and Palmer in tow.

"We're up." Tony looked to Ziva. "The Boss is antsy. Let's not keep him waiting."

"What?" Ziva frowned.

"Sweep the floors, do a quick check while we're alone and no one's hiding." Tony looked to Ducky and Palmer. "Ziva, take Abby and start at the second floor and work your way up. Gibbs already went up, you'll meet up with him. Ducky and Palmer, the popsicles okay in the truck overnight?"

Ducky shrugged. "I don't see why not. I won't be able to do anything until I get them back to NCIS anyway."

Tony continued. "Good. Find some food for everyone. There's three couples in the library waiting for bedrooms. Once we sweep, any room with no suitcases, split them up. Gibbs orders."

"Jethro's being rather thorough for a last minute visit." Ducky smirked. "I wonder what he's up to."

"We have our marching orders." Tony motioned towards McGee and smiled. "Let's get cracking, McDeadman."

McGee rolled his eyes as he followed Tony to the stairs. They quickly climbed the steps and disappeared out of sight at the top. They heard Tony say, 'I hate creepy old houses' from the echo in the second floor hallway.

Ziva glanced at Abby and shrugged. Abby appeared overly fascinated at exploring the house more. Eagerly Ziva and she followed suit climbing the stairs in search of Gibbs.

Hach looked to Ducky. "I'll show you where the kitchen is. The food was delivered last night for the party and the staff set up before they left for the weekend. We should have plenty for a few days in case we get stuck longer than tonight."

She led them towards the back of the house. There were no servants or help hired for the Halloween party, only the set up portion. Ducky seemed more intrigued by Hach's costume than he was by the explanation. He took a longer than normal survey from head to toe.

Jimmy let his eyes follow after the doctor as they walked towards the kitchen. At one point, he jumped when he realized Dr. Mallard caught him straying after the woman. She did not seem interested in small talk. They walked in silence most of the way to the kitchen.

**Chapter Seven**

The group reconvened at the top of the stairs on the second floor. The house was split into one main hall that split at the grand staircase. Various paintings hung along the hallway between dim sconces screwed into the walls. Tony and McGee walked with Ziva and Abby.

"You guys find anything odd?" Tony sighed. "We got nothing. A lot of old dusty bedrooms and a nursery."

"Four rooms in the left wing have suitcases already set out. Those are taken. The entire right hall appears available if those couples want to retire for the night. Everyone else seems to be at the party." Ziva watched McGee and Tony. "You find Gibbs?"

"No." Tony glanced down both hallways. "Where'd he get off to?"

"No idea." McGee checked his phone. "I've got crappy coverage here. My internet connection comes-and-goes since we started our sweep."

Abby nodded. "I couldn't get a good signal either. I tried to send three texts, not one of them was sent."

Gibbs mysteriously appeared behind Tony DiNozzo.

"Wow." Tony shook his shoulders. "Anyone feel a chill just now? I be this place is haunted by a mean ghost."

Ziva smiled along with Abby.

"He's behind me, isn't he?" Tony winced in expectation of the slap.

Abby nodded sympathetically. "He does that to everyone, Tony."

"Come on." Gibbs walked past the group and began descending the stairs.

The others followed Gibbs and Tony down the stairs. Abby had to be extra careful coming down. She held onto the railing the entire way. Ziva stayed behind to make sure Abby made it back to the first floor in one piece.

"Only four rooms seem taken in the left hall." Tony recited his report for the second time. "There's a lot of bedrooms in this place, boss. Everyone should find something for the night. Two rooms on the third floor have two bunk beds in each but the others have one bed each. Fourth floor's the nursery and attic space. I count a total of fourteen rooms that could be used as bedrooms. That's still a lot more people than beds, boss."

"Thanks, Ziva." Gibbs reached the bottom first.

Gibbs turned at the bottom of the stairs and headed for the Library. He would give the couples a chance to choose their rooms for the night.

**Chapter Eight**

McGee tracked the bags into the house out of the pouring rain. Tony disappeared up the stairs since Gibbs assigned McGee, DiNozzo, Ducky and Jimmy one of the rooms with the bunk beds. Who slept where was the problem of the roommates. Either way, he was to take their bags up to the third floor.

Begrudgingly, he left the laughter of the party carrying on in the parlor behind hauling his latest quarry up the stairs. He could find something to eat later. McGee found the room a little more cheerful. However, he found Tony took the bottom bunk to the left. Ducky placed his hat on the other lower bunk. Jimmy took the top bunk over Ducky.

"Great." McGee sighed. "Fine."

He dropped the stuff and turned back to head back downstairs. As he walked down the hallway, he heard a footstep behind him. McGee spun around only finding darkness and shadows in the hall leading towards the far window at the end. He could make out the storm and the occasional lightning flash. A hand on his SIG, he cautiously walked down the hall towards the source of the footstep he heard.

"Hello?" McGee called. "Anyone there?"

He held his breath then sighed. It was probably Tony waiting in the shadows to jump out and scare him. Though DiNozzo hated Halloween, leave it to him to try some trick in honor of the holiday. Well, he was not going to fall for it. Then there was a thud from one of the rooms.

McGee rushed forward and stopped outside the door of the one bedroom. He took a deep breath and prepared to open the door. His hand on the knob, it opened under someone else's pull. The woman who met them at the front door dressed as Hera greeted him with a large smile. She yanked him into the room.

The large room was elegantly decorated with a rich wood bedroom set including a bed canopy, dresser and vanity. The bed was set against the wall off to the left in the middle with two nightstands were on either side. The dresser sat beneath the window with nothing on top. The vanity was on the wall to the right between the closet door and the bathroom door. Paintings of landscapes hung above the bed and over the vanity.

McGee found himself slammed against the wall. Hera pressed her body against his. The wet jacket he wore transferred some of the moisture to her. Her costume suddenly became a bit more revealing. She wore little undergarments.

"Well, hello, NCIS Agent." Hera moved her lips close to his. "What's your name?"

"Uh, Tim." McGee was unsure how to respond to the woman. "Uh, you okay?"

"I will be, Tim." Hera kissed McGee softly. "The goddess is feeling restless."

Hera kissed him again and again. At first he tried to avoid her kiss but then gave in to her primal needs. She was quite feisty and was already trying to remove his jacket. The jacket slid off his shoulders and onto the floor. She tossed off his hat and ripped open his shirt. One of the buttons flew across the room.

"Make me your queen, Zeus." Hera whispered.

Hera pulled Tim across the room to the bed. She pushed him backwards onto the bed and then crawled over him straddling him. Eagerly, she kissed him again. McGee responded sliding his hands over the woman's back and waist. His next task was forgotten as the room suddenly became too hot for clothes.

**Chapter Nine**

The kitchen was an expansive open area with oak cabinets stained dark from floor to ceiling wrapped around the room. The three sunken, stainless steel sinks were nestled below the window to the backyard. The massive refrigerator was off to the right against the door leading to the backyard. The six-burner stove was on the wall across from the sink with a massive hood above it stretching to the ten-foot ceiling.

Hach sat with Abby, Ziva, Ducky and Jimmy Palmer in the kitchen eating at the center island. The granite counter tops were light colored and were covered with an assortment of plates, glasses, and desserts. The food delivered was well prepared and came with warming racks. The food remained hot. Gibbs entered the kitchen with DiNozzo in tow.

"Anyone see, McGee?" Gibbs asked.

"Last I saw him, he was taking stuff up to the third floor." Ducky offered. "Sit down and have a bite, Jethro. There's not much to do but visit."

The Peacock burst into the kitchen through the double doors. "Anyone see Janice?"

The group looked at one another not knowing who Janice was.

Hach looked up. "Running loose, I'm afraid."

"Damn." Roger Kyte in the Peacock suit muttered. "Warn everyone."

He left at that moment clearly flustered about the situation. The others looked to Hach to explain. Gibbs and Tony helped themselves to some of the food on the center island.

"Hera, or Janice Elder as she's known in the real world, is a bit of a nymphomaniac." Hach noted the expressions of the men in the room. "She's known to be a bit feisty and doesn't like it when you tell her 'no'. If she corners you, call for help. You've been warned."

Jimmy and Ducky glanced at one another. Gibbs smirked. Tony shrugged as if he did not believe Hach. Hach realized McGee had not been seen in a while. If Hera was missing, it was a pretty good bet Hera got her first catch of the day.

"Really?" Abby asked fascinated. "She's, like, a real nymphomaniac?"

Hach nodded making another sandwich. "I diagnosed her. Fits the profile to a 'T' and has all the symptoms. I went to a conference with her boss and he brought her along to take notes. His assistant it seemed. She nailed half the committee on new medical technology by sun down. A bit embarrassing really." She ate her sandwich.

Ziva and Abby smirked at one another. Then they huddled and began eager discussion over who would be nailed by Hera Queen of the Gods by the time they left. Hach seemed unconcerned with their conversation.

Tony wondered if Hera would actually visit him in the middle of the night. As if Gibbs understood his expression, his head snapped forward suddenly. Gibbs did not hide the fact he head slapped DiNozzo. Ducky smiled at the action. Jimmy appeared to fear receiving such violence from Agent Gibbs. Even Hach had to admit she was amused.

"Ow." Tony winced. "Sorry, boss."

Gibbs said nothing and ate beside Tony.

**Chapter Ten**

The couples in the library were invited to have something to eat in the kitchen. They prepared plates of food and took drinks with them back to the library. Gibbs informed them that sleeping arrangements on the second floor were open in the wing on the right side of the grand stairway. They could go and choose a room for the night.

After eating, the three couples disappeared upstairs. The men appeared to avoid one another. Ziva watched them exit the house, obtained their luggage from the car, and returned to the house. All appeared fearful of mingling with the others at the party and NCIS. Strange behavior.

Once the couples were settled, Ziva went back to the kitchen unsure if Gibbs would approve of them hanging out at the party in the parlor. She glimpsed Hach talking happily with several of the men in attendance. Despite her costume, Ziva got the distinct impression that Dr. Hature did not mingle with men for pleasure. Not an issue but Ziva was curious as to why the doctor appeared rather cold. Her manners suggested social understanding of etiquette but where being a woman was involved, she lacked experience. She had yet to spot Hach wearing a skirt.

McGee appeared an hour later in the kitchen.

"Finally made it down, Tim?" Ziva questioned beside Tony.

"Where's Abby?" McGee inquired.

"Joined the party with Hach." Tony appeared unhappy. "I doubt the boss would want us to mingle with our hosts much. We might have too much fun."

McGee wondered if it would be improper to care. "Well, we are under the same roof. Couldn't hurt to go mingle. We might learn a few things about our hosts, right?

"I like the way you think, probie." Tony pointed at McGee.

"Let me eat real quick."

He ate with Tony and Ziva sharing stories of past Halloweens. Tony and Ziva laughed as McGee shared the time when his sister showed up as Elvira and he was Frankenstein at school. He had to report to the principal's office since he wired the bully's desk to the local light socket nearby his desk during class. McGee got tired of being pushed around. Earned him a week's detention but it was so worth it.

**Chapter Eleven**

Time passed slowly as the party wore on. Hach did not stick around for a second round in the kitchen deciding to join the party before McGee appeared again asking a thousand questions about how she hacked his computer. Gibbs and Ducky chose to follow the doctor back to the parlor as well leaving what remained of his team in the kitchen. There was a reason they went to investigate the party.

"What do you see?" Gibbs asked Ducky quietly from the corner of the room.

A woman came by dressed as a cat and offered them punch. Ducky accepted both glasses and handed one to Jethro. It was best to blend in. Gibbs did not drink from his glass, glimpsing it but kept it in his hand. Leroy Jethro Gibbs was not known to be social at NCIS.

"A lot of rich people." Ducky replied taking a sip.

"Besides that?" Gibbs appeared slightly irritated.

"I recognize a few people." Ducky nodded towards the women in the corner. "Terri Howler, the cat costume, she works in medical technology at Kelvin Technologies. I met her at a conference a few years ago. NCIS was looking into purchasing their x-ray machine. The man she's talking to is Marco Rinner, son of pharmaceutical giant NAV & Tamco CEO Clay Rinner."

"What are they all doing here for a Halloween party?" Gibbs was suspicious.

"You're guess is as good as mine, Jethro." Ducky grimaced.

A few minutes later, Tony, Ziva and McGee joined the party. They nodded towards Gibbs that they were on recon and would report back later. Abby stood with Hach talking to three men: one dressed as George W., another as the Scarecrow from the Wizard of Oz, and the third as Batman.

TO BE CONTINUED…


	14. Episode 5: Clues Part 2

**NCIS Season 9**

**Episode 9.5.2**

**Clues**

**By: Lady JenDragon**

**Disclaimer: **The usual…not mine, yada, yada.

**Author's Notes: **I love Halloween!

* * *

**CLUES**

**PART TWO**

**Chapter Twelve**

Gibbs walked out of the party annoyed since he disliked being social. He learned little more about his hosts. In fact, the more he learned the less he wanted to know. Deciding to avoid confrontation, he went into the kitchen finding Dale Camdell taking a long drink from his glass.

"Agent Gibbs?" Dale started and continued when Gibbs nodded. "You married?"

Gibbs smirked. "Was."

"Gave up?" Dale inquired and Gibbs nodded again. "Smart man."

"Less hassles." Gibbs replied. "Where's your wife?"

"Off somewhere fuming." Dale sighed. "Literally. I know she's mad at me cause I know she took up smoking again. Bothers my allergies. She knows I hate it when she smokes."

Gibbs shrugged and then excused himself. There were not many places he could go to find some peace and quiet. Not to be deterred from gathering his thoughts, Gibbs decided to spend some time searching the premises. He knew dibs on the bedrooms would be going quickly.

After grabbing his bag from the car, he climbed the stairs to the third floor. Reaching the landing, he looked left knowing the two rooms with bunk beds were to the left. He went right finding only three doors to choose from. The first one on the right was a hall closet filled with towels, cleaning supplies and various amenities they would need later.

The first door on the left turned out to be a small bedroom with a double bed. Gibbs took off his hat and field jacket placing them on the bed. He set his bag on the bed and sifted through the contents. He turned to find Hera staring at him from the hall.

Remembering Hach's warning, he walked towards the door to close it. Instead, she stepped into the room and waited. Her eyes told him she was looking for a good time. However, he would not find solace in her arms. A woman with her nature bothered him.

"You look alone." Hera stated softly. "Want some company?"

She walked to him and slid her hands over his shoulders.

"I sleep alone." Gibbs pushed her backwards and then closed the room door on her.

He heard her stamp the floor in the hall and walked off huffily. She was not happy about being rejected. Gibbs smiled and locked the door in case she came back. He decided to rest up. It was then the lights went out.

"Bout time." Gibbs mused. "I was getting tired of the music."

But he knew better than to remain in his room. Gibbs found the blazer he wore earlier to the crime scene out in Virginia. He donned the dark brown blazer and exited his room. Hera was no longer in sight in the hall. If she was smart, she returned to the parlor where everyone else was.

**Chapter Thirteen**

It appeared everyone had the same idea. The group collected in the parlor and sat on anything they could find. Almost thirty people were comfortably seated in the room upon Gibbs arrival. McGee, DiNozzo, Abby, Ducky, Ziva, and Jimmy were seated together on one sofa. Hach and her group were spread out against the wall from the fireplace and adjacent to his team. The three couples were across from his team but one appeared to be missing. Stella Camdell appeared to be angry with her husband still.

There were a number of candles lit all over the room. There was enough candlelight to see everyone's face clearly. He suspected Abby has something to do with the candles being present. She did have quite a large collection of candles. Some she made and carried with her.

"Hey boss." Tony nodded towards Gibbs. "Found your room already?"

Gibbs only glared at DiNozzo. "Third floor right, first on the left. Don't find the room, DiNozzo."

Ziva and Abby smiled.

Tony replied. "Wouldn't dream of it, boss."

"Is everyone accounted for?" Gibbs asked the room full of anxious faces.

Dale Camdell raised his hand. "My wife Stella's missing."

"Anyone who wants to help find Mrs. Camdell, join Agent DiNozzo in the hall." Gibbs ordered. "Anyone not wanting to join in the search, stay in the parlor."

"Why should we listen to you?" The Peacock asked.

"Never question Agent Gibbs, peacock." Tony warned getting to his feet. "He's the most experienced and valued agent at NCIS currently stuck at your house. You'll want him on your side if anything happens here tonight."

The Peacock shrugged and said nothing more.

"Okay." Tony smirked and looked at the group. "I'm very Special Agent DiNozzo. Anyone who wants to find Mrs. Camdell, follow me."

Ziva, Abby, Ducky, Jimmy, McGee, Dale Camdell, the Peacock and Hach followed Tony to the hall. The others glanced at one another and decided they would stay. There were enough people to search the house. It was not that large. Gibbs followed the group to the hall and looked at McGee.

"Tim, stay in the parlor." Gibbs ordered in a whisper. "I want eyes on the group."

McGee nodded and returned to the parlor.

Gibbs broke the group into teams of two. Dale Camdell was paired with Tony and assigned to the first floor. Abby was paired with Jimmy and took the second floor. Ziva and Ducky took the third floor. Hera decided to join the search and was paired with Hach and assigned to the fourth floor. Gibbs chose to be with Peacock. He wanted more information on the party's host and decided they would search the lower level of the house, the basement. A number of flashlights were found and distributed among the groups. And the search began.

**Chapter Fourteen**

About thirty minutes into his search of the basement, Gibbs turned to exit the small room called a bathroom. The Peacock was not happy to be paired with him. Since he avoided small talk and Roger Kyte preferred it, they did not get along while searching. Roger became increasing annoyed that his questions went unanswered by Agent Gibbs. He perked up when he heard DiNozzo's voice coming from above in the kitchen.

"Boss?" Tony called out his voice getting closer. "We found her."

Gibbs turned to find Tony standing in the doorway to the small bathroom in the back corner of the basement. Dale Camdell was not with him. His expression was not one delivering happy news. That meant only one thing to Gibbs but his attending help answered first.

Roger Kyte appeared pleased happy to vacate the basement. "Where is she?"

"Dead." Tony informed Gibbs. "Back porch. Apparently she went out to have a smoke."

"Heart attack?" Roger inquired.

"No." Tony replied following Gibbs through the basement. "There's a long linear hole with blood oozing. At least until she died. Looks like a stab wound to me, boss."

Gibbs sighed and climbed the stairs to the laundry room. He was closely followed by the Peacock and Tony. DiNozzo knew him well enough to keep the civilians away from his crime scene. He hit the light switch off as he ascended the stairs getting an irritated 'hey' from Roger. That made him smile. He passed through the kitchen and found Ziva and McGee holding the gathering crowd back from the crime scene before anyone could reach the window or the back door to get a glimpse.

There was an eerie feeling from seeing a crowd of costumes all vying for position to see the dead. Blue eyes went from each character trying to get a sense of who these people were and why they were at this particular party. Gibbs paused momentarily before pushing through the crowd. Ducky was already standing at the open back door waiting for him. Tony followed Gibbs. Roger Kyte assumed he would be allowed through but showed his disappointment when McGee barred him from getting to the back porch.

Rain poured heavily on the roof of the porch. Out on the back porch, Gibbs found Stella Camdell leaning against the wall on the wooden bench by the back porch. Her head was resting back, her eyes open. There was a cigarette between her index and middle fingers that burned out when it reached the filter.

"Duck?" Gibbs wanted something to go on.

Ducky looked at his digital thermometer. "Temperature places time of death thirty minutes ago."

"When the power went out." Gibbs noted.

"No tracks." Tony said from behind. "I noticed nothing out of place and nothing dropped. Abby and Hach are here. They can scour for any fibers or hairs. But we won't be able to analyze anything."

Hach stepped out from behind Agent DiNozzo. "I wouldn't say that."

Gibbs looked to Hach. "What?"

"I've got microscopes in my van." Hach pointed towards the front of the house.

"No power." Tony pointed out.

"I've also got a generator large enough to power a few things." Hach looked at Agent DiNozzo and raised an eyebrow. "You always so quick to judge?"

Tony grimaced and said nothing then looked to Ducky.

"Good." Gibbs answered. "DiNozzo, go unload the equipment…yourself."

Hach tossed him the keys to her ride. "Van parked on the side. And don't touch anything else besides the equipment. Your fingers might burn off."

Tony made a face and rolled his eyes at her, pretending to care about her strict instructions. He left for the front door immediately unhappy about his assigned task. Hach followed him with her eyes wary that he was doomed.

Ducky smiled. "That was good, Hach."

Hach frowned at Dr. Mallard. "I wasn't kidding. The handles are laced with a chemical dye to catch unsuspecting assistants nosing around my supplies where they shouldn't. I've lost too many of my stock in the past. His fingers will burn if he decides to play around, at least until he washes his hands."

Gibbs smiled knowing Tony well enough. "Let's move the body to one of the rooms we can lock. There's a house full of suspects."

Ducky nodded. "It's going to be a long night, Jethro."

Gibbs whispered back. "And it's Halloween."

McGee and Ziva stood by with the camera and sketch pad. It was not often they were in the same building when a murder was committed much less among a group of such distinguished guests. She was having a field day matching names to faces of the people who supplied armaments to various terrorist organizations on a regular basis.

Gibbs lowered his voice holding out his hand to Ziva. "Get statements from everyone at the party. Where they were, who they were with, and if they went anywhere, how they got there, when they came back. I want timelines and find out who the hell these people are."

McGee and Ziva nodded. She turned over the camera to Gibbs. Ducky looked to Jimmy and motioned for his assistant to help him move the body. Jimmy was overly excited it was his first fresh murder scene.

"Where do we put the body, Dr. Mallard?"

Gibbs answered. "There's a room at the base of the stairs in the basement. It's fenced off from the rest of the storage and laundry areas. Grab a lock from the truck and place it on the door."

Ducky nodded he agreed the coldest place to keep a body was the basement given the circumstances. There was little humidity in a house like this, even in the basement. Ducky wondered if there was a wine cellar he might peruse in his free time. Perfect place for both wine and bodies, he concluded grimly. Chilly would keep the body cold until it could be moved to a proper morgue.

"I'll do a quick exam of the wound to figure out the type of weapon you're looking for, Jethro." Ducky added. "The killer's one of them here inside."

Gibbs nodded, leaving Ducky and Jimmy on the back porch.

"He doesn't look happy, Dr. Mallard." Jimmy stated.

"I don't blame him." Ducky sighed. "This was supposed to be an easy case."

Tony came back to the porch with a load of cases seconds later clearly missing Gibbs on the way back to the rear of the house. He poked his head out the back door onto the porch looking for Dr. Hature but she was already gone.

"What the hell does she have in here?" He griped. "A dead body?"

Tony lowered his voice to mimic Rod Sterling. "The night of all Hallows Eve appeared like any other for those in attendance to the Halloween party at Mallard Manor." Ducky chuckled at the words. "Costumes, games, and music consume the house. But it is the late visitor that signals things are about to change. Fate must have plans for Leroy Jethro Gibbs, the tormented Special Agent of NCIS stuck in the rain with no way out."

Gibbs' voice came from inside. "I HEARD THAT, DINOZZO."

Tony grimaced and left the back porch with zeal. His shoulders were hunched as he disappeared down the porch steps and out into the rain to avoid going back into the house. Tony wanted to avoid running into Gibbs. Ducky laughed with Jimmy as they began to place the body for the move down to the basement.

Ducky paused realizing they were missing something very important.

So did Jimmy. "Sorry, the bag's in the truck."

Ducky gave him a stern glare as his assistant cringed at the rain coming down hard. With a quick nod of the head, Jimmy nodded he understood. Standing, he paused contemplating following Agent DiNozzo but decided that through the front door would be a better option.

**Chapter Fifteen**

Ducky and Jimmy walked through the rain towards the NCIS Coroner's truck. The two hurried towards the end of the circular driveway. The truck was parked on the approach, the last vehicle to make it to some safety before it got late. Jimmy ran ahead to open the truck so Dr. Mallard would not have to wait long.

"Hurry up!" Ducky urged.

"We're supposed to stay together, Dr. Mallard." Jimmy reminded the doctor. "Gibbs wants us in pairs for safety."

"I know that!" Ducky said impatiently. "But that doesn't included drowning us, does it?"

"Right." Jimmy realized what he meant.

Jimmy jogged ahead and arrived at the back of the truck. He had the keys in his hand since they left the house and unlocked the door quickly. When he opened the door, he had to move to keep the door from wedging between him and the car parked behind them. Jimmy paused and turned to the parked black Lincoln Town car. Dr, Mallard reached him at this point.

"What is it?" Ducky asked wondering why the young man stopped.

Jimmy looked to Dr. Mallard. "This wasn't here when we arrived."

Ducky took a good look at the dark car. "You're quite right. Someone else has decided to join our little party."

Ducky nodded and motioned for Palmer to get what they came for so they could hurry back to the house and inform Gibbs. He wanted out of the rain more than anything. The rain appeared to be getting worse and the clouds were thickening as the night wore on.

"Got the lock, Dr. Mallard." Jimmy jumped off the back of the truck.

"I'm sure Tony would appreciate our efforts to relieve him of guard duty sooner rather than later." Ducky helped Palmer lock the truck back up and checked every door before they headed back.

Not that the bodies already in custody would be the target of some ploy to steal the corpses from the northern Virginia crime scene. Ducky did not fear that anyone would be stupid enough to break into a NCIS truck while it was parked for the night. No, it was protocol that made him suspicious.

**Chapter Sixteen**

After they locked the body up, Tony went in search of Gibbs to inform him that Ducky and Jimmy found a car parked behind their truck out front. That meant someone else joined the party recently. He walked into the parlor to find everyone still gathered together. Hera and the black cat were consoling Dale Camdell on the loss of his wife.

Tony found Gibbs near the roaring fireplace. Gibbs stood talking with a man in beige trenchcoat. He appeared to resemble an FBI agent but when the man turned to glance at him, Tony did not recognize him.

"Gibbs." Tony kept his voice low. "Ducky found a car parked behind the truck. Someone recently joined the party."

The man with Gibbs spoke. "That would be me, Anthony Zigger." The man stretched his hand out towards DiNozzo. "Of Keller acquisitions. Call me, Tony. I just arrived about ten minutes ago. The front door was locked so I went around the back and found Agent Gibbs."

"Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo, NCIS." He replied suspiciously and shook the man's hand. "You can call me Tony too."

"You were invited to the party?" Gibbs wanted to know.

Tony Zigger pulled out his invitation and handed it to Gibbs. "Sure was. I barely made it here before the roads closed. Stopped for gas and got lost four times. Place needs street lights, I couldn't read signs or addresses."

Gibbs eyed the invitation and handed it back to Zigger. He turned and announced to the room. "No one moves without informing a member of NCIS."

"And why's that?" The black cat wanted to know. "We're civilians here."

"NCIS has jurisdiction since the murder occurred in our presence the local law enforcement is unable to respond." Tony DiNozzo explained. "Also, someone was just murdered. And one of you did it. You're really going to trust any of your friends if we weren't here when this all went down, sweetheart?"

The group glanced among one another suspiciously. It was quite apparent there was some animosity among the members of the group. But not the people he suspected might hate each other. Tony said the words on purpose looking for expressions. He knew Gibbs was reading the sea of faces as well. NCIS was already suspected of being sent here to crash their party. The rich did not play well with the maid's children. Tony hated feeling unwelcomed.

McGee played with his PDA in the corner sitting in the wingback chair near the small window that showed a view of the front porch and overhang. No one was there but the rain falling in sheets gave the lit front stoop an eerie feel when he glanced at it every once in a while. His eyes were doing quick Internet searches. He rolled his eyes and stood up.

"I need to get higher." McGee stated. "Coverage is sketchy at best here, boss. Plus I'm almost out of juice."

Gibbs did not look at McGee. "Abby and Hach are setting up in Hature's room. Second floor southwest corner. The generator should be running by now."

McGee was glad to leave the room and the front porch. "Damn, Tony." He muttered as he left.

**Chapter Seventeen**

McGee arrived at the room to find Abby and Hach sitting at the long vanity each with their own microscope. The generator, a remarkably silent running generator, with the exhaust that was connected to the window by a flexible hose was set beneath the window. The bed was stripped of the comforter and left a mess for catnaps. The bathroom door was left open to show a chemistry kit sitting by the sink.

"Nice." McGee commented. "I miss electricity."

Abby glanced over her shoulder. "Geez, Tim. Like an hour without power is nothing. Be happy it's not a hunting lodge."

McGee gave a shudder. "Tell me about it." He plugged his phone charger into the generator and connected it to his phone. "My connection's been so intermittent, I can't download any files reliably."

Hach frowned then asked. "What files?"

"Gibbs wants an ID on everyone present." McGee sighed that his connection was just a little better than downstairs. "But the storm's so bad, I can't get a good signal. Maybe I can boost…"

"All you had to do was ask, Agent McGee." Hach smiled. "I know everyone invited to the party."

Hach left her chair and microscope. She walked to the bed and knelt by the bottom right corner. Pulling out her laptop, she got back onto her feet and moved to the generator and plugged in the cord into the second outlet. Opening the laptop, she pressed several keys. In seconds, she hit a few special keystrokes and then closed it and unplugged the laptop. Replacing it under the bed, Hach returned to her scope and continued as if nothing happened. Abby and McGee looked to one another. Hach paused as a small beep echoed from McGee's PDA, lifting her head.

"Check your PDA." Hach explained. "I sent you the info there via wireless here in this room. Connection problem solved. You can look at it later once your phone is fully charged. I'm sure Agent Gibbs will be in range when you tell him."

Abby smiled at McGee and went back to her own microscope. Not that there was much to analyze at the moment. However, if they were going to start looking for a murderer, they needed something to match so laying down the background data segments was a good place to start. If she got stuck, Hach was here to help out. Whatever they had now would be a start.

"McGee." Abby looked at Tim. "Get hair samples from everyone. We'll need them to start eliminating people."

Tim shook his head finding he had nothing better to do. "It's suspects, eliminate suspects Abby, not people."

Abby glanced over her shoulder. "Oh…okay."

She motioned for him to get gone.

**Chapter Eighteen**

In the quiet of the library, Gibbs stood feeling a bit overwhelmed with the number of suspects. Three dead bodies in the truck and now a fourth body was currently stored down in the basement of the house. He ran the scenario over and over again in his head.

The lights went out and the woman was murdered under the cover of darkness. The killer took advantage of the situation. What else could go wrong tonight? Part of him shuddered at the potential answers. McGee and DiNozzo joined him at that moment.

"Hey boss." Tony started. "There were only two people off by themselves at the time the lights went out that coordinates with the time of death. You and Hera."

Gibbs sat down on the middle sofa annoyed there was no fresh coffee. It was in the process of being brewed upstairs in the makeshift lab. Abby was kind enough to find some and offered to make it for him.

"Janice Eden." McGee corrected then noted Tony's expression. "The woman dressed as Hera. Queen of the Gods is Janice Eden. Remember Hach warned us about her in the kitchen?"

"Oh yeah." Tony agreed smiling. "That leaves you, boss. Everyone else was with someone else who can verify their alibi."

Gibbs looked at DiNozzo sternly but knew that was easily explained. "Third floor, right side, first door on the left, bedroom. I had to push Hera out into the hall to close the door."

Tony smirked. "She tried to sequester you, boss?"

Gibbs glared at DiNozzo.

"Sorry." Tony shrugged. "Looks like everyone's accounted for, at least for the time of the murder anyway."

"Which leaves us with nothing." Gibbs noted. "Or someone's lying."

"Well, we have a number of motives." McGee read from his PDA. "This party is the crème-de-la-crème of the military defense contract and pharmaceutical industries. The host, Roger Kyte the Peacock, of Kyte Industries just lost a big contract last year to Klellan Technologies, of whom James Klellan, the son of the CEO is here tonight. James Klellan's the guy in the Papa Smurf costume."

"The what?" Gibbs was annoyed.

"Papa Smurf…" Tony began. "Leader of the smurfs? Little blue people wearing white clothes? There's only one female Smurf among them? I take it you didn't watch TV back in the eighties did you?"

Gibbs shook his head and replied tiredly. "I build boats, DiNozzo."

McGee frowned. "Well, doesn't matter."

"What's their connection to Stella Camdell, McGee?" Gibbs rested his face in his hand propped up on an elbow on the armrest.

McGee tilted his head slightly to the side and frowned again. "It's complicated, boss. And it's going to take a while to explain."

"Give me the short version."

"Everyone invited to tonight's party were friends together either at college, worked on projects together, or a friend married another friend who introduced them. These people are connected to practically every facet the military uses to conduct every type of business, operation, and computer program."

That got Gibbs' attention. "So, a party with this many power players would be a good place to hunt down an enemy."

"An enemy hiding behind the face of a friend." Tony added. "Rich people can be scary."

"Hach knows all of them." McGee added slightly too enthusiastic. "She gave me all their files and history. Sent it to my PDA so I could tell you."

Gibbs narrowed his eyes at McGee. "She tell you why she was here?"

"She got an invitation the same as the other guests." McGee responded quickly. "I took a look at it, looks legit. You think there's something else, boss?"

Gibbs got to his feet hoping coffee was ready. "There's a lot I'm suspecting right now. McGee, find out more about Zigger."

On it, boss." McGee began tapping his PDA.

Gibbs left the library on a mission. McGee paused and looked to Tony confused but began his task once more since he had a connection for the time being. He wanted to maximize on it before it gave out again. Tony shook his head then nodded understanding the boss' meaning.

"Looks like Gibbs thinks there's an ulterior motive, McGee." Tony smiled. "I bet it was Miss Scarlett in the conservatory with the knife."

McGee frowned.

Tony rolled his eyes. "Clue." He paused getting no response from McGee then continued. "The movie where a group of seeming strangers turns out to be a planned event where the host gets murdered with the intention of blackmailing everyone at the party. The bodies keep piling up until in the end, one undercover cop solves it all."

"Oh yeah." McGee smiled looking up from his PDA and nodded. "I liked that movie."

"Welcome to the NCIS version." Tony walked out of the library.

**Chapter Nineteen**

Gibbs stopped at the top of the stairs to the basement as Ducky and Jimmy Palmer were climbing up towards him. He backed up and stood off to the side of the door to allow both of them to pass him. Ducky motioned for Jimmy to keep walking while he informed Gibbs of his findings. They stood in the laundry room just outside the kitchen. The back door was only thirty feet away from them.

"Well, Duck?" Gibbs stood waiting.

"Stabbed once in the liver." Ducky looked around for anyone lurking in the shadows or in the kitchen. "Mrs. Camdell bled out quickly, death was almost immediate. The killer knew exactly how to ensure death with one stab. They would've had to been in close proximity to one another."

"Blood should be on the killer then." Gibbs reasoned. "She knew her killer?"

"Probably hugged the person." Ducky surmised from the study of the wound. "The instrument used was dulled, not a very sharp pointed edge. They probably had it with them in their pocket."

"Could they have gotten it from the kitchen?" Gibbs wanted to know.

He turned and went into the kitchen looking around for a knife set. His initial scan produced no such arsenal but then, the killer knew to take the murder weapon with them. It would look bad if the knife were found in their possession and the source of the weapon discovered so quickly.

"Possibly." Ducky followed Gibbs into the kitchen. "But I doubt you'll find it now. If there's any prints on it, the killer wouldn't want it left lying around, now would they?"

Gibbs shrugged. "Never know, Duck. Weirder things have happened."

"Yes." Ducky watched Jethro leave the laundry room his mind already in motion. "Indeed they have."

**Chapter Twenty**

Hach analyzed several hair samples from the party attendees who willingly gave up theirs to prove they were not responsible for the death of Stella Camdell. Abby and she swapped one another's hair to avoid bias in analysis. The room smelled of coffee as it finished brewing in the corner.

Gibbs burst into the room at that moment. Abby spun around to meet him with a smile. Hach remained at her scope comparing two hairs, one from the victim, the other from Kyle Zimmerman in the George W. costume.

"Gibbs!" Abby pointed to the coffee pot with her hands. "Once again your timing is impeccable. Coffee's done."

"It's not Kyle Zimmerman." Hach called out to Abby. "There's no false white hair color on the hair from the victim."

Gibbs looked at Abby. "Out."

Abby appeared sad. "But Gibbs…"

"Out." Gibbs repeated his eyes on Hach then whispered. "Close the door on your way out."

She lowered her head sadly but Abby began walking towards the door, her expression in a pout. She glanced at Hach not paying them any attention. Curiosity wanted her to stay to find out what Gibbs wanted with Hach. But it was clear Gibbs wanted to be alone with her new best friend and mentor. She could think of no plausible excuse to stay. McGee and Tony needed to be informed immediately.

The door to the room closed, Hach appeared unaware that she was alone with him. Gibbs walked over to the coffee pot and picked up the simple black mug Abby left there for him. He poured himself a cup and took a long drink. Once done, he set the carafe down on the warmer and walked over to Hach sitting at her microscope with the coffee cup in his hand. The position he found her in a majority of the time.

At that moment, Hach stood up and turned around to face him meeting him toe-to-toe. He used his taller height and stared down at her. He walked forward almost pressing her against him. Hach frowned and clearly unfamiliar with his intimidation tactic. She matched him taking a step backward and guided herself back towards the vanity. Gibbs pushed her up onto the vanity forcing her to sit with her legs open. His eyes glared down at her studying her face.

Gibbs stated coolly. "I'm beginning not to like you."

Hach only looked up at him. "The point of whether you like or dislike me is moot. I wasn't planning to stay long enough to know you, Agent Gibbs."

"Your friends are the kind of people I don't like." Gibbs lowered his face close to hers.

Hach's eyes narrowed as her forehead furrowed. "Keep your enemies closer, Agent Gibbs."

"Competition?" Gibbs challenged.

"I was invited to tonight's Halloween party…for first time ever." Hach pressed her hand against Gibbs chest and moved off the vanity. "I found it odd that in ten years they finally remembered me. Funny how the people you work with pick and choose when they think they like you."

"This party happens every year?" Gibbs queried.

"Yes." Hach decided it was best to keep her eyes on Gibbs. "I suspected something wasn't right. These people rarely include me in their social gatherings being in my position. However, I wondered as to the reason and so I pulled files on them from the DOD before I came here tonight. Hence the reason Agent McGee now has possession of such files."

"How are you involved with them?"

"Through work related activities. Most of them are associated with defense contractors in one way or another. There's a few engineers, some relatives of CEO's, and a few marketing executives looking to make a name for themselves."

"You suspect someone wanted you here?"

"Yes." Hach nodded annoyed her work as intruded. "For what purpose I hoped to find out by attending."

"And those three couples; The Wrights, the Camdell's, and the Powers?"

"I've seen them before at various functions before." Hach admitted. "I doubt they were just passing by the house when the rivers and roads flooded."

"You believe they were invited as well?" Gibbs was starting to see the full picture.

"Discreetly is my guess. These people know what I do for a living." Hach shook her head. "Killing someone in my presence would only cause more damage than aid their cause."

The door opened then and Roger Kyte in the Peacock suit peeked in and waved at Gibbs then looked to Hach.

"Guinevere." Roger smiled. "We're going to try the Ouija board in the lounge. Wanna come?"

Hach sighed softly annoyed she was roped into agreeing to this earlier prior to the arrival of NCIS. "Sure. Agent Gibbs, good discussion." She pointed to the coffee pot. "More coffee I think. You're a little low today."

Gibbs glared after Hach as she left him hanging. Their conversation was far from being done. But she made a valid point. If the people were all invited here for a purpose, if he could figure out the purpose, he would have the motive. Was Stella Camdell killed as part of the purpose or was she just a bonus?

"Damn!" Gibbs swore under his breath.

Abby walked back into the room. "All done?"

Gibbs nodded agitated. He drank his coffee and went back for a refill. Then he left the room his mind still churning at the new information he had been fed.

Abby waited until he was out of the room and smiled. "I knew they'd like each other."

Then she got back to work wondering why she was left alone. Hach did not look particularly happy about following the Peacock downstairs.

TO BE CONTINUED…


	15. Episode 5: Clues Part 3

**NCIS Season 9**

**Episode 9.5.3**

**Clues**

**By: Lady JenDragon**

**Disclaimer: **The usual, not mine, MO.

**Author's Notes: **I had to get this story finished before the new Season of NCIS starts. Eek! Three weeks away! Last season was a little shaky at the start. Yes, I certainly do agree that Mike Franks deserved a better exit than what he got. Ah well, I had such a good story line for him! Now I have to scrap that line of thinking and rewrite it! Carry on!

* * *

**CLUES**

**PART THREE**

**Chapter Twenty-One**

Gibbs descended the stairs finding McGee and Tony standing by the open door to the Lounge across the hall from the Parlor. They were whispering softly between them, McGee reading from his PDA. He headed for them to find out what they were discussing so intently. Both raised their heads when Gibbs approached them.

"Boss, we're figuring out the players."

McGee knew to keep the descriptions short, simple, and pertinent information only. "It's a consortium of the who's who of defense contracting…well their sons and relatives anyway. It seems they all have been awarded multimillion dollar military contracts within the last five years which through me off initially."

Gibbs only frowned slightly waiting for McGee to get to the point.

McGee continued. "Here's what I've been able to decipher so far. The Peacock is the host, Roger Kyte."

Gibbs got impatient. "Tell me something I don't know, McGee."

McGee recovered quickly and continued. "His company just lost a major contract not only to Klellan Technologies but Dart Industries as well." Gibbs appeared attentive so he kept going. "Dr. Giggles, the surgeon costume, is Kalvin Dart, Jr., the CEO of Dart Industries son. Terri Howler, the cat costume, works at Kelvin Technologies in the emerging technologies division. She once worked with Dale Camdell on a project that ended in a lot of money lost and a military investigation. NAV & Tamco CEO Clay Rinner's son, Marco Rinner is the guy without a costume. He doesn't do much according to the company website but he was involved with Miss Howler socially and personally prior to her leaving NAV & Tamco for professional reasons."

"That's all you got?" Gibbs was disappointed.

"All I can get so far." McGee was annoyed with the results himself. "I need better reception. This intermittent signal's killing me."

Tony thought out loud. "Everyone here has a reason to want someone at the party dead."

Gibbs agreed silently Tony had a point. "Lots of money at risk in defense contracting." Gibbs reasoned nodding in agreement with Tony's last question. "Contracts are won and lost. Any connection between Kyte and the Camdells?"

"None I can find yet." McGee stated reading from his PDA. "However, it seems Royce Carlisle, the Scarecrow costume, knows Stella Sykes Camdell from college from a conversation I overheard. He's working with Tandent Industrial that was just awarded a six billion dollar contract with the Army last year."

Gibbs glanced into the Parlor. "Ex-boyfriend?"

Tony shook his head. "There's no record of them dating. However, it seems that Sophia Cowell, Mrs. Powers as she's now known by, also knew Stella Camdell. They kept giving each other sly looks earlier. Probably the reason they kept to the library."

"The list of suspects keeps growing." Gibbs noted. "Everyone knows everyone else except us. Is there anything useful?"

"Nothing like motive, boss." McGee shook his head. "I can't download the files fast enough before my connection craps out."

Gibbs sighed. "Keep on it. The minute you find something, find me." He looked to Tony. "Get started by seeing what you and Ziva can get out of these people. Whatever you find out through verbal communication's better than nothing."

This was a detective's nightmare. One dead, three already dead in the coroners truck outside, and the count could rise before morning. Gibbs shook his head in disbelief. His team was hindered by the storm and the lack of electricity. It would be another test to see how well they could solve a murder with limited resources and data access. Gibbs swelled with pride. They did it before and they would do it again.

**Chapter Twenty-Two**

The Library would have to serve as Interrogation Room One for the time being. Despite Abby and Hach completing the initial analysis quickly and went off to join the to aid Tony and Ziva with the unsuspecting interviews. If another lead came up, they would need the equipment. He knew the microscopes on the vanity were turned off and the door kept lock with one key that belonged to Hach to eliminate the possibility of tainted evidence.

Gibbs sat across from Sophia Powers on the sofa, he on the other sofa. It felt too informal but he felt confident he would find the killer. No one dared leave in the middle of the storm.

"You knew Stella Camdell?" Gibbs had his notepad out with a pen taking notes.

"In college, we met in the dorms." Sophia appeared sweet and unassuming sitting comfortably on the brown leather sofa. "We were on the same floor. We struck up a friendship and started hanging out more and more. Once we graduated college, we lost touch."

"What did you study in college?"

"I studied economics." Sophia replied. "Stella was in political science. We had so much fun back then. But like anything in life, it came to an end."

"When was the last time you saw Stella?"

"We…last March." Sophia thought for a moment. "There was a function at the Museum of the National Arts in DC. We contribute to the museum annually and we always get invitations to the parties. It was a huge black tie affair. She went with her husband, Dale. He's an engineer with some corporation working on guidance systems for the Air Force as I understand it. We didn't talk then. She avoided me and I avoided her the whole night."

"Why did you stop being friends?"

"She stole my boyfriend." Sophia replied softly clearly guilt-ridden about the petty issue now. "It seemed so stupid now but I was much younger back then. I guess she never forgot I said I'd never forgive her."

Gibbs rolled his eyes when she veered her eyes. There was a knock at the door. A moment later it opened and Ziva poked her head in. Her eyes told him there was a problem brewing. He walked over and left the room annoyed he was interrupted. He stood with Ziva in the hall next to the door, checking for anyone hanging around.

"What is it, Ziva?" Gibbs whispered

"Jimmy found Roger Kyte in his room." Ziva paused and lip-synced: 'He's dead.'

Gibbs lost his annoyance and got up without telling Sophia where he was going. He ordered her to stay in her seat until he returned. Hach and Abby were passing as he exited the library and ordered the women to watch the library door should Sophia Powers decide to disobey his commands. He left them without explanation.

This was not going to end well for him or his patience. But Gibbs walked with Ziva rather reserved towards the Grand Staircase and listened to the brief narrative.

"Stabbed in the chest…we think." Ziva had little information to go on since she was not first on scene. "Ducky won't move him until you get there. However, there's enough blood soaking the bed from beneath the body to indicate he bled out when he landed face-down."

Gibbs nodded acceptance of the report.

**Chapter Twenty-Three**

On the second floor, the room was the first on the right side of the hall from the grand staircase. Anyone could have come and gone without being noticed. Gibbs noted that Hach's room was close enough. Still it was locked at the moment since there was so little evidence to analyze.

Roger Kyte, still dressed in his Peacock costume, lay face down on the bed. It appeared he would have been sleeping had it not been for the deep blood pool soaking the mattress and bed linens. Ducky wanted to wait for Gibbs to arrive before Jimmy and he turned the body over for closer examination. Ziva and Tony took up watch at the door keeping unwanted spectators away from the room.

Gibbs paused before entering the room. Ducky eyed him as he walked in, his eyes veering to the state of the room. McGee stood near Ducky with the camera having completed taking photos of the crime scene. The camera hung around his neck, his hands on his PDA trying to find a signal.

"The plots thickens, Jethro." Ducky commented preparing to roll Kyte over then motioned to Jimmy.

"Careful, Duck." Gibbs put one knee on the edge of the bed.

Ducky and Jimmy slowly rolled Roger Kyte over, moving and adjusting their own as the body turned. There was a clear red hole in his chest, the front of his costume soaked with blood from pooling. It was clear he was stabbed from the front and through to the back. But what would do that? Gibbs was attentive to Ducky at the moment as he bent down for a closer look.

There was not much else to do until the initial exam was complete. She expected the body to be moved to the makeshift morgue currently growing in tenants down in the basement. Ziva ran through a list of weapons of choice she used from the past to explain the hole in the man's chest. She glanced at Tony finding him leaning across the hall against the wall. Leaving her position by the door, she found space next to the long table decorated for the festive party across from Tony. He appeared deep in thought.

"No one's even inquired as to where we've all gone." Ziva watched the hall.

"People like them don't socialize with people like us." Tony folded his arms.

"Us working people, you mean?" Ziva asked for clarification.

"Yeah." Tony tilted his head to look at her. "We the blue-collar folks who actually work for a living. To them we're all blue collar regardless of what we do."

"You seem bitter." Ziva smirked knowing Tony felt left out.

Tony hesitated before replying. "Maybe."

Gibbs looked to Ducky once he stood. "Does that look familiar to you, Duck?"

"Yes." Ducky agreed quite readily. "Looks identical to the stab wound I found in Stella Camdell a little more than an hour ago."

"Same weapon." Gibbs concluded out loud. "Where'd they hide it?"

McGee stepped forward at that moment. "We scoured the room and the hall, no weapon fitting the first description. We looked in every cabinet. There's any one of a thousand hiding places in this…house. I found nothing, not even a drop of blood anywhere. I found a number of fibers for Abby to run when she gets a chance. She brought her mobile DNA kit with her."

"Time of death, Duck?" Gibbs wanted to know.

Ducky checked the digital thermometer. "From the reading here I'd say Roger Kyte checked out just shy of twenty minutes ago."

Gibbs was unconvinced. "Have Abby and Hach come scour the room for fibers off Kyte after we're done here." He stood up and walked towards the door. "DiNozzo, Ziva." Both agents entered the room.

"Yeah, boss." Tony spoke first.

"Interview everyone downstairs about their whereabouts within the last hour or so, take notes for comparison." He wanted more information.

This called for another cup of coffee. Gibbs was not entirely convinced who he could trust in the house at the moment. His team was one group but there were a lot of players. And he was stuck with all of them for the night. That pissed him off.

**Chapter Twenty-Four **

Tony and Ziva divided up the group into four teams. McGee and Abby served as the assistants keeping track of the timelines as the party attendees answered the same questions over and over again. Hach was the easiest since she was already vouched for by Abby. They were analyzing samples up in her room.

David Teller, Dracula, never strayed from the Parlor enjoying what little fun could be had at a party with no electricity. Someone found an iPod and plug-in speakers so the music played at low volume in the background. Jennifer Lorell in the Geisha outfit along with George Berman in the Batman costume and Marco Rinner without a costume remained in the Parlor as well at the time of death. Royce Carlisle in the Scarecrow costume and Terri Howler as the Cat had gone out for a smoke on the front proch during the time of the murder and talked about politics. They remained on the front porch the entire time.

John Ackerman in the Cheshire Cat costume, Kalvin Dart Junior as Dr. Giggles, Jackson Dunham as the Gargoyle, Tony Zigger as himself, Kyle Zimmerman as George W., and James Klellan as Papa Smurf were convened in the Lounge across from the Parlor during the last hour talking of new technology and playing with a Quija board. They were also smoking cigars and cared not that the house was a smoke-free zone. The only person not accounted for was Janice Eden who was still missing. Many thought she was lurking somewhere in the house waiting for an unsuspecting man to walk by and jump.

The Wrights and the Powers were in bed when they were awoken by McGee to answer several questions. The two couples were not too thrilled at having their rest disturbed for something as irritating as a murder investigation. Dale Camdell was also in his room at the time of the murder. He left his medication upstairs and it was time to take his pill. Everyone was accounted for…again.

Tony rolled his eyes approaching Ziva and McGee standing at the threshold to the Lounge across from the Parlor. They compared notes on what they found out with each person they interviewed.

"We have a house full of liars." Ziva concluded afterwards. "Someone clearly killed Stella and Roger Kyte with the same weapon."

"What's the motive?" McGee quizzed her.

"Something we haven't yet discovered." Ziva lifted her chin. "Clearly these people were summoned by Roger Kyte for a purpose."

Tony suddenly became alert. "Blackmail?"

"What made you think that?" Ziva frowned.

McGee rolled his eyes. "The movie Clue, he hasn't shut up about it since."

"I know this movie." Ziva folded her arms. "I remember it being funny."

Tony got all excited. "Well, here's what I'm thinking."

"You thinking again, DiNozzo." Gibbs asked him from behind, his eyes focused on Tony's head.

"Occasionally it happens, boss." Tony winced.

McGee began. "Everyone accounted for during the time Roger Kyte was murdered except for Janice Eden. She's still off somewhere by herself."

**Chapter Twenty-Five **

The Parlor was quiet as people chose to remain in the room, sitting in silence as they studied each other. The Wrights, Dale Camdell, and the Powers were also present now. Only Janice Eden was absent.

Everyone was forbidden to leave and go off on their own until the murder weapon was found as ordered by Agent Gibbs of NCIS. They were none too happy about the proclamation but it appeared they feared Gibbs. He was clear when he made the threat he would shoot anyone who did not comply. NCIS was running an investigation and they were in control.

Hach and Abby sat side-by-side keeping silent watching out for indication of a clue. However, not everyone was comfortable knowing two murders were committed under this same roof less than an hour apart. Clearly, NCIS was trying to keep everyone remaining alive.

Hach got up to go sit with Tony Zigger and Marco Rinner. Small conversations sprung up softly around the room as people began to discuss the details of the night. Agent Gibbs did not instruct them that talking about the case was forbidden among non-NCIS personnel.

Abby sat watching the parlor with observant though aloof eyes. Gibbs found her in the corner and handed her a punch drink. He sat down as eyes from around the room narrowed at him. Few people appreciated his specific orders. They were inconvenienced and thus unhappy they could not leave without a NCIS escort.

"They were out of Caf-Pow's." Gibbs commented. "Best I could do on short notice."

"Guess it'll have to do." Abby appeared unhappy despite the sentiment. "It's my first real double homicide." She took a long drink.

Gibbs patted Abby on the shoulder. "It's tough when you see it first hand."

"I actually talked to the guy, Gibbs." Abby felt shaky. "I'm just not myself right now."

Gibbs got up then bent towards her and whispered. "Keep your eyes open."

Abby nodded and took another long drink from the cup. She hesitated then decided fear would not get the best of her. She set her jaw, narrowed her eyes then pursed her lips. Getting to her feet, she went over to Hach and yanked the woman off the sofa and pulled her out of the room.

Hach went along with Abby willingly to avoid making a scene. Clearly the young lady had an idea in mind. She was curious as to where it would lead.

**Chapter Twenty-Six**

A search for the missing Janice Eden became all too necessary. No one laid eyes on her in some time. Tony and Ducky were tasked with the basement and main floor. Ziva and Abby were scouring the third floor. McGee and Gibbs took exploring the second floor. Jimmy and Hach were left with orders to watch the Parlor until the groups returned.

The pairs began reassembling just outside the Parlor. Tony and Ducky arrived first, empty-handed followed by Ziva and Abby. Abby was contented at not finding another body. McGee and Gibbs came down the main stairs with Janice Eden between them. It appeared she was unconscious.

Gibbs laid Janice Eden, Hera Queen of the Gods, down on the sofa vacated by other attendees. Hach walked up to her and knelt beside her with a stethoscope in her hands. Quickly she checked the pulse and looked for signs of bruising or other suspicious damage on the skin.

"She's unconscious but I'm not sure why." Hach said finally. "It appears she's drugged, either voluntarily or not. I won't be able to tell you until I run a tox screen."

"We don't have the set-up for the full scan." Abby pointed out deflated.

"But we can do a partial." Hach stood up. "I've got enough equipment for at least that. If there's any major players, we'll find them."

Shortly there after, Ducky and Jimmy waited in the Parlor with everyone as Abby and Hach retreated to the makeshift lab upstairs. He did not know where Gibbs, Tony, and McGee went but it appeared important. Their departure was abrupt and silent.

**Chapter Twenty-Seven**

With Janice Eden tucked up in bed in Abby and Hature's room, Gibbs traced the steps to the back porch with Tony and McGee in tow. They let their leader follow through what he saw in his head. Then he abruptly left the back porch and headed towards the laundry room again.

He was in pursuit of the weapon used in two murders.

They descended the stairs to the basement to check on the body of Stella Camdell. She remained where Ducky and Palmer placed her on the wood bench in the black body bag. Though Roger Kyte now rested in a body bag on the floor beside her, Gibbs avoided taking a longer look.

Tony followed trying to pick away at the motive and steps taken. Gibbs often discussed his process out loud when he first worked for the Boss after he left Baltimore PD. It gave him an idea how the mind of Gibbs worked. After more than nine years with L.J. Gibbs, Tony had a pretty good feel for how he thought through a murder.

Tim was still bamboozled at the process. Tech guys did not get street guys like Gibbs and himself. Tony preferred to think of himself as a street guy. McGleek would never understand Gibbs' way of thinking but he would turn what he learned and use it in his own nerd way.

Then it dawned on him.

The laundry room was accessible by two doors. One door was to a smaller hall that led to the main hall through a swinging door to avoid entering the kitchen. Thus avoiding confrontation between master and servant. This smaller hall led to the both the corner of the Library and the back terrace through a single exterior door. The terrace was attached to the back porch by a long covered boardwalk. The door led to where the two met. Servants could serve the guests on the terrace without having to pass through the back door and porch area.

It was clear Gibbs now saw that set-up as well. Which meant the killer had to come through the smaller hall to avoid running into someone in the kitchen looking for something to munch on. Logic told him that the weapon was disposed of along the way. Tony stood next to the large capacity washer and dryer units in the corner of the laundry room. Without thinking, he opened the front door of the washer and peeked inside. Nothing. Undaunted, he opened the dryer and found a pile of white towels sitting in a heap. At first he thought nothing of it but paused. Something was off. The clothes appeared 'looked through' to him.

"Boss." Tony called out.

Gibbs went immediately to DiNozzo as he pulled out a few bloodied towels with a pair of tweezers and a gloved hand. Tony looked to Gibbs almost happy. No weapon was found but the shape was etched into a single towel.

"This was probably where the weapon was stored after it was used on Stella Camdell." Tony grimaced. "I'll get this to Abby….and Hach."

Gibbs nodded he agreed to both statements.

**Chapter Twenty-Eight**

Ducky found Gibbs with McGee in the kitchen since Tony raced to the lab with the evidence. Hach and Abby would spend at least a few minutes looking at the evidence pulling what they could from it. Nothing would be cemented until the use of a full lab was available. Who knew how long that would take?

"What is it Duck?" Gibbs noticed him arriving in the kitchen.

"I'm afraid we have another problem." Ducky felt a little amused but grimaced at the thought. "It appears we have a missing cat."

"Terri Howler?" McGee asked first since Gibbs probably did not remember the cast of characters at the party. "Cat costume, boss."

"Yeah. I got that, Tim." Gibbs considered this could be a false alarm but thought it best to treat it as possible intent to commit a crime. "As if there isn't enough going on already."

Tim checked his watch. "It's only been twenty minutes since we left her in the Parlor."

"When you left, so did she for the restroom." Ducky lifted his chin. "I assure you that if the bathroom wasn't in the state its in, I would not be so alarmed. Her friends, or so-called friends, are looking for her now. They've split up to cover the house."

Gibbs did not hide his anger. "We'd better do something before they all end up dead."

"Somehow I get the feeling this chaos was created just for our benefit." Ducky concluded out loud following Jethro out of the kitchen.

That got Gibbs attention.

And almost made him pause in mid-stride. Out of consideration for Ducky's health, he continued moving forward towards the Parlor to see who remained, if anyone. Somehow the idea of the chaos of this evening created for deterring his attempts to figure out who murdered two people seemed logical and very plausible.

**Chapter Twenty-Nine**

Gibbs noted the half bath was located off the main hall, tucked between the Lounge and Library. It was decorated in browns and reds with a touch of white accent around the windows and doors. Though it was larger than his living room, the cozy sofa took up a majority of the space across from the large gilded mirror hanging above the dual sink vanity. It also contained Terri Howler's open purse with some of the contents sitting beside the purse. The lone toilet in the room was placed under the window complete with a remote control. The window to the outside was opened, the rain pouring down could be heard clearly inside. The black rug on the floor was missing and there was blood in the sink.

"Get samples to Abby." Gibbs shifted his eyes from the sink.

Tim nodded and got his field kit out of his pocket. He wore it in case more bodies began to pile up. He could hear Tony in a ghoulish voice exclaiming 'there'll be more death before the night is out!' He shivered slightly then focused on his job.

Gibbs stuck his head out the window, finding nothing to indicate footprint were left in the mud just below. In fact, it looked like a puddle to him. Still, if the killer threw the body out of the window to remove later, then he would have to search the surrounding forest for a body in the morning. None of the search teams could get here until the roads opened again.

"McGee, get DiNozzo and do a sweep of the trees." Gibbs turned from the window closing it.

Tim looked up at the order knowing he left his rain gear in the truck. At least he had his. Tony on the other hand, never bothered to carry his. He smirked at the idea of seeing Tony wet and cold in the rain while looking for a body. He wondered if he should film the moment?

"On it, boss." Tim nodded holding up the cotton swab with blood on it for Abby.

Gibbs, with newly gloved hands, picked up the purse from the sofa. He perused the contents of the purse and those removed. Then he looked up when Ducky moved aside to let McGee out to start the sweep of the outside.

**Chapter Thirty**

Abby, Tony, and Hach circled the small tray table Hach got from her van. The bloodied towel with the impression of the weapon was laid out and perused by very calculating eyes. Tony was there to stifle his boredom of chasing down a madman on Halloween.

"There's not much else we can pull off of this, Abby." Hach wondered why they were so focused on the towel.

"I can usually find fingerprints, lint…" Abby did another sweep with her eyes.

"Typically." Hach stood up. "However, we are lacking said equipment that allows us this luxury."

Abby sighed. "I feel we have nothing."

"This is a start." Hach knew how the younger woman felt. "It won't be long until we find the killer. Have faith in their humanity that a mistake will be made. And then you will find that there is always something left behind."

"Whoa." Tony squinted his eyes. "Very Confucius of you, Hach."

"Is there some reason you're here, Agent DiNozzo?" Hach rounded on him.

"Call me Tony." He smiled widely.

Hach appeared unamused and returned to her microscope. "I don't think so."

Tony leaned into Abby. "How much is she worth again?"

Abby looked up and smiled at Hach turned from her then whispered. "Six-hundred million."

Tony fisted his hand and bit it figuratively. He turned and left knowing there was no reason for him to stay. Hach clearly wanted no social interaction with him. Though she was older than him, not by much, she was still one very hot millionaire-ress.

The door opened and Tim stuck his head around it. "Tony, Gibbs said to do a sweep of the forest line. Terri Howler's missing now."

Abby looked to Hach alarmed. Tim held out the cotton swab to Abby who walked forward to accept his gift of forensics. She smiled and turned back to get to work, aiming for the attached bathroom they were using as a chemistry lab.

Tony straightened and said. "I don't have my rain gear."

"I don't think Gibbs cares about that, Agent DiNozzo." Hach stated bluntly. "Guess you'll just have to get wet, won't you?"

Tony glared at Hach as he walked to the door. "Is Ziva going with us?"

Tim shook his head and opened the door wider for Tony to leave with him. He smiled as a grumpy Tony passed him heading towards the Grand Staircase. Abby poked her head out of the bathroom and watched silently as the door closed.

**Chapter Thirty-One**

Forty minutes later, Tony and Tim arrived on the back proch carrying a body of a woman facing down. Tim wore a bright yellow rain-suit with a hood and Tony looked like a drowned cat. His NCIS cap was soaked but it kept the rain off his face.

Ducky met them in the kitchen watching them from the windows as they moved around the tree line. If there was the need for them to haul the body in, they could collect whatever they could find and get inside. He held the door open so there was no need to stop, set the body down, and open the back door. The rain would wash anything relevant away anyway. Palmer was preparing the basement for the possible arrival of another body.

Armed with only flashlights tucked into coat pockets, the two men followed Ducky through the kitchen, passed the laundry room and down the stairs of the basement. Palmer turned in time to see the group clamor down the wooden stairs. He hastily got out of the way.

"Right here, gentlemen." Ducky patted the table now empty of Stella Camdell's body.

Tony and Tim placed the body slowly down on the table with Ducky's aid.

"Find anything useful?" Ducky asked examining the back.

"No." Tony shook the water from his hat. "She was thrown into the bushes to hide her. If the bath rug was taken to hide evidence, we didn't see it anywhere."

"Killer might've taken the rug to his car." Tim added. "I doubt it'd be left anywhere we could find it in the dark."

"Rightly so." Ducky shooed Tony and Tim away. "Find Gibbs and report in. I'll be up when I have my initial findings."

Tony and Tim walked away from the makeshift autopsy happy they could stay out of the rain. Climbing the stiars, they raced one another. Reaching the top of the stairs, Tim eased up and let Tony get there first. Tony slid across the wet tile floor slamming into the wall. Tim reached the top stair laughing as he passed Tony clinging to the wall to keep from falling.

"McJerk!" Tony called out then narrowed his eyes and changed his voice to an elderly woman's. "I'll get you, my pretty."

**Chapter Thirty-Two**

Gibbs waited in the lab downing another cup of hot coffee. He was hoping for something that would break this case wide open. Ducky checked the vitals of Miss Eden looking rather grim as he gave his verbal report.

"Miss Howler died from blunt force trauma of the Parietal bone." He got to his feet. "I'm afraid Miss Eden's vitals are slowing. She's losing her battle with whatever poison is slowly killing her."

Gibbs swore under his breath. "We can't get a warrant to sweep the house."

Ducky shook his head. "Not physically, no. The owners aren't here."

Hach turned towards them from her microscope. "The house is rented under Roger Kyte and myself. According to the law, during the investigation of a crime, the current Leasee can allow law enforcement to search the premises legally without a warrant or the property owners present. I'll allow the search."

Gibbs smiled slightly at the gesture.

Tony and Tim arrived at that moment with a report from their sweep of the house for the weapon. Neither was particularly fond of this case. However, Tim was enjoying the Halloween spirit since Tony was playing Grumpy.

"Sorry, boss." Tony shook his head glaring sideways. "McSneak and I came up empty. Again"

"Ziva's still interviewing people in the Lounge with Jimmy looking on as an aid." Tim added. "We should get down there to help out. People are wondering when they can start walking freely about the house."

Gibbs agreed with Tim. "Go help her. When you're done, bring all your notebooks to Abby and have them scanned for comparisons. We'll need to keep searching for the murder weapon."

Abby came out of the bathroom.

"Puffer fish." Abby said solemnly. "Whoever poisoned Miss Eden used diluted version of puffer fish venom. We'd need to do a full Tox screen to tell me how much was used and what its mixed with. But judging by the effects, it was small enough to be effective but large enough to do the job slowly. What a cruel way to die. Find him, Gibbs."

Tim frowned. "No scientific names, tonight?"

"Now isn't the time to be bogged down with lengthy explanations." Hach pointed out. "Though I admire Miss Sciuto's care for protocol, her explanations need to be pared down a bit when reporting verbally. However, I encourage she be explicit in her final reports."

Abby shrugged and pointed at Hach. "Murderers go to jail faster when we keep things simple for the investigators."

Gibbs silently agreed. He noted the nod from Hach to Abby on a job well done. Clearly Abby's new persona was the result of working with Hach. Though he had yet to trust her, the woman appeared honest enough to keep Abby in line.

**Chapter Thirty-Three**

The sweep of the house was underway. Gibbs and Ducky were regaled to detective work while his team re-interviewed the guests. They were an impatient group demanding to be, at least, allowed to use the Lounge as well. Food from the kitchen was brought out to the Parlor for snacking and drinks, the kind rich people did not like drinking. He banned anyone from drinking any more alcohol.

Roger Kyte and Stella Camdell's rooms were searched first. Gibbs found nothing out of place in Roger's room except for a PDA with no power. He took it in case there were files on it. The next room was clean except for a small travel-sized container of clear liquid in Mrs. Camdell's make-up bag. At first he thought it some kind of oil. Spreading it around on the bathroom sink, it did not feel like a liquid someone would carry normally. He took that, too, for Abby to identify later.

"Nothing in either Zigger's or the Wright's rooms." Ducky walked up to Gibbs holding the bottle of the clear liquid up. "What have you got, Jethro?"

"Don't know." Gibbs felt confident he covered all the areas of the room.

Ducky followed him out.

In Hach's room, the temporary lab, Abby received the notebooks from everyone. She slowly scanned them into Hach's laptop, reading passages as she went. Hach was playing a game on her phone since she had a break from analyzing samples.

"Oh!" Abby got happy and jumpy. "I think I know where the murder weapon is!"

She hesitated before looking to Hach. Perking her head up, Hach turned off the game to take over the scanning. Placing her phone in her pocket, she nodded for Abby to go find the agent. She could handle scanning of notes. Abby disappeared through the door.

Hach let her eyes follow the notes as she scanned them quickly. More quickly than Abby since she knew the speed and maximum out put of the equipment she used regularly. As she read, a pattern began to form.

**Chapter Thirty-Four**

Abby found Gibbs on the third floor with Ducky. At that moment, Tony and Tim came up the stairs after seeing Abby run past them on the second floor. It was unusual to see her run so they thought they should check it out.

"Gibbs! I'm so glad I found you!" Abby nearly collided with Ducky. "Sorry, Ducky!"

Gibbs paused to contemplate her excitement.

"I know where the murder weapon is!" Abby smiled.

Tony smirked. "We found the second location of the murder weapon. Pantry shelf, kitchen. Whoever found the weapon in the laundry room, used it and place it there."

"You have it?" Gibbs wanted to know.

"No, just the stains were left." Tim patted the camera. "We have it on record."

Abby raised her hand forcing Gibbs to look at her.

"It's in the laundry chute!" She smiled widely.

"And how did you figure that out?" Tim wanted to know.

"Well, we know Janice Eden was poisoned. She was found before Terri Howler was discovered outside. She was killed by blunt force trauma to the head. Therefore, it follows that the killer might've decided against using the knife to kill Janice Eden after taking possession of it from the pantry since it was already used twice and went for the poison instead. Cleaner, less mess, and if done right, no trace. So if the killer decided against using the knife, there's only one place most people wouldn't use in a house for rent."

Gibbs nodded it might be plausible.

"Laundry." Tony smiled through strained teeth. "Rich people don't do their own laundry, even if the machines are standing right beside them. I should've thought of that."

Tim patted Tony on the arm.

Gibbs turned towards the stairs. "Let's get this cleared up."

The group headed down to the first floor, arriving in the laundry room as Palmer was coming up from the basement. He paused at the congregation convening in the small space.

"Hello, why is everyone here?" Palmer was cautious.

Abby turned to him and said brightly. "Testing my theory."

Tony, using a gloved hand, opened the laundry chute. He hesitated and then gently opened the chute. Tim held the bag open and the knife slid right into the evidence bag. Abby clapped since she was so proud of herself for figuring it out.

"Abby's theory holds water." Ducky added.

Abby grabbed the evidence bag and headed to the lab for fingerprinting. They would soon have the identity of the killer. Of at least one of the dead. The others were still pending.

**Chapter Thirty-Five**

Gibbs assembled everyone in the house in the Parlor. He eyed each person, civilian and NCIS. This would be a night he would never forget.

"Have you found the killer, Agent Gibbs?" Marco Rinner asked from behind the glass of punch he clearly was not enjoying.

"Oh, yeah." Gibbs nodded.

Sophia Powers stood up and pointed an index finger at Tony Zigger. "It was him, wasn't it?"

Tony Zigger stood up. "Please, I bet it was you, crazy woman."

"You want to see crazy?" Sophia went cold.

Dale Camdell stood up and went to Sophia to calm her down. But she resisted and backed away insiting that Zigger was the culprit and should be arrested. Dale tried to keep things cool.

"We haven't heard what Gibbs has to say yet." Dale looked between Zigger and Sophia. "Let's not jump to conclusions here."

"Well, ain't that sweet." Martin Wright said from his chair next to his wife Patty. "Dale Camdell comes to the rescue again."

"You got a problem with someone taking control, Marty?" Dale challenged him.

Gibbs stepped back letting the four civilians take center stage for the moment. In seconds, Tony Zigger, Dale Camdell, Sophia Powers, and Martin Wright stood in the center of the Parlor arguing over who could be the killer. They took turns making accusations about husbands, wives, girlfriends past, boyfriend's past, broken promises and lost realities. Gibbs watched the show considerably impressed.

"It's all your fault!" Dale shot at Tony Zigger. "You never should've had the party in the first place."

The two went back it shouting insults at one another. Clearly they knew each other and were at odds over something else besides the location of a Halloween party.

"Arrest this man!" Sophia Powers turned to Gibbs and pointed a finger at Tony Zigger.

"Arrest yourself, you mad, psycho maniac." Tony Zigger rolled his eyes. "You were always jealous of Stella and me. You could never handle that we were happy."

"Oh yeah, then why did she dump you for Dale I wonder?" Stella shot back folding her arms when Zigger became furious.

"Knock it off." Gibbs lost his patience and looked to Tony, McGee and Ziva. "Arrest them all."

Hach smirked a bit surprised. "They all did it."

Even Tony looked baffled. Tim and Ziva stared at Gibbs waiting for an explanation but it appeared he had no intention of giving one. The others in the room were shocked, some appalled, and yet others were not surprised by the revelation. Ducky stood perplexed how Gibbs figured it out. Hach seemed to figure it out just as quickly.

Sophia, Tony Zigger, Dale and Martin Wright immediately shouted for lawyers blaming the other three for the murders of the four people.

Ziva spoke up switching her index finger between the four suspects. "I don't understand."

It was Hach who replied. "Simple really. Zigger killed Stella Camdell for dumping him all those years ago. Sophia killed Miss Howler for cheating on her with her husband and screwing up the project they were working on at the time that got him fired. Martin killed Roger Kyte for black mailing him and sleeping with his daughter who just turned nineteen. Dale Camdell poisoned Janice Eden because not only did she cost his company a huge billion dollar contract with the Army, but she had the audacity to sleep with his wife."

Hach looked over to Ziva and suddenly became aware that most of the people in the room never made the connection. She added. "There were so many conversations going on in this room over the course of the night, it took only the most astute of investigators to determine that everything that was said was relevant. You wrote everything down despite not knowing its importance."

"You read our notes?" Tim asked in awe, his mouth gaping.

Abby smiled and closed it for him.

"Yes." Hach replied honestly. "Gibbs gave Abby all of your notes and combine them in some form. It was clear you were paying attention but not to the minute details. I read all the notes, reworked into a plausible story for each member of tonight's party, and gave it to Agent Gibbs for his perusal. Whereas he was able to reconstruct the path of the weapon used on Stella Camdell and Roger Kyte. I have Dale's fingerprint from the bottle used to poison Miss Eden from the travel size mouthwash container from his room."

"You need a warrant for that." Dale Camdell said hotly.

"Not in this instance since the house was rented through me." Hach pointed out sincerely. "Since this isn't a permanent residence, only the person whose name is on the lease can grant law enforcement the right to search the premises while the owners are away. Roger's and my name are on the lease for this weekend."

Tony leaned over to Tim. "I told you it was Miss Scarlet with the knife in the laundry room."

Tim elbowed him. "Shut up."

Ziva, Tony and Tim stepped forward to place Dale Campdell, Tony Zigger and Martin Wright under arrest. Gibbs took Sophia Powers since she was closest to him.

Abby walked over to Hach standing with Ducky and Jimmy Palmer. "Makes you wonder where they'll put them until we can transport them to headquarters."

Ducky and Palmer looked to Abby. "The phones were up twenty minutes ago. Local law enforcement is on their way to collect them. The jail is on this side of the flood waters."

Abby smiled, snapping her fingers. "Only Gibbs, cause he's Super Gibbs!"


	16. Episode 6: Broken Rules Part 1

**NCIS Season 9**

**Episode 9.6.1**

**BROKEN RULES**

**By: Lady JenDragon**

**Disclaimer: **We all know the drill. Business as usual, NCIS and its characters belong to whoever created them. Yeah, yeah, but my own characters are mine.

**Author's Notes: **I think it's time we had a visit from a past character we never really got to meet, don't you?

To my reader - Unilocular: Totally agree with you, I was disappointed with NCIS Season 8 as well. But it is the reason I came up with my own Season 9. It's like they ran out of good ideas. Alas, that did not stop me buying said 8th season on DVD. And yes, it would be AWESOME to write for NCIS but they never pay attention to us FanFic writers!

* * *

**BROKEN RULES**

**PART ONE**

**Chapter One**

The bones lay in the open now. The bright ivory white stood out against the dark brown of the soil. A skull barely covered sat watching the members of NCIS spread out looking for any pieces not found with the shallow grave. Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs stood with Special Agent Tony DiNozzo near the main grave checking for scattered remains as teams fanned out treading cautiously.

"What time did the call come in?" Gibbs asked.

Tony flipped through his book. "0600." He focused on the notes he wrote down. "Jogger, a Sargeant Brian McDelmot U.S. Army, decided to take an alternate route through Rock Creek Park this morning. He's training for a Triathlon in February."

Doctor Donald Mallard, also known as Ducky, walked up behind Gibbs with a black case in his hand. "Gentlemen."

Gibbs stepped aside for the elder Doctor to take a look at the scene. He surveyed the shallow grave with keen eyes. His body may be getting older but his mind was astute as ever. The bowtie had its way this morning, sitting on top of the NCIS field suit. He wore a beige hat today while the other was being cleaned.

"So, why are we here again?" Ducky wanted to know setting his case down beside his feet after clearing there was no evidence found to contaminate.

The sun seemed bright this morning. Everyone appeared to squint when they were around the shallow grave. There was a simple explanation. Gibbs squatted taking a pen from his pocket, gingerly pushing soil aside. He dug into the dirt harder and lifted out a clump of soil and silver. With a gloved hand, he brushed the soil aside to reveal a Silver Eagle. Tony and Ziva paused when McGee motioned for their attention and pointed at Gibbs. NCIS knew what a Silver Eagle meant.

Gibbs spoke softly. "I think we have an Colonel here, Duck."

Tony and Ducky looked to one another with silent hesitation of what to say next. It was rare an Army Colonel went missing much less dead and the skeleton to be found in Rock Creek Park. This was Navy territory here at the Yard.

"This will be Abby's department." Ducky shook his head and squatted down for a closer look. "I'll do what I can for him in the mean time."

Ducky brushed dirt aside uncovering the ribs and spine of the skeleton. The legs and hands were in tact attached by thin ligaments of dried flesh. The remainder either was carried off or eaten in place by scavengers. Ducky moved the pieces carefully to avoid destroying the evidence.

"Male, from what I can tell, fifty to sixty years of age. There's arthritis in every joint. There's been many fractures and a severe break of the Tibia prior to death. There's sufficient bruising left on the collar and neck bones to conclude he got into a fight with his attacker." Ducky squinted as he pulled the skull out of the dirt. "I'd say cause of death was a gunshot wound to the head at this time."

Ducky turned the skull to the backside where a round hole punctured through the bone. Cracking could be seen emanating from the wound hole. Gibbs shifted his eyes to the dirt looking for the bullet.

"It appears to have been a fatal shot." Ducky completed his early prognosis.

Gibbs glanced around at the scene. "Keep it quiet, Duck, until we know more."

"It's not every day we get a distinguished guest at NCIS, now is it?" Ducky replied.

Tim, Ziva and Tony went back to work.

**Chapter Two**

Hach worked on the computer when Gibbs walked into the lab with a Caf-Pow in one hand and a large coffee in the other. He paused once he got through the open glass enclosure that separated the once metal door of Forensics from the hallway. The gaping hole in the wall told of the construction on-going in the basement at the NCIS Headquarters in the Naval Yard. Though it was only temporary, it was still a shock to see it.

"I'm never going to get used to that." He spoke softly.

Since she was working on something, Hach glanced over at Abby sitting in her office staring at her computer screen and nodded him in that direction. Gibbs got the hint immediately and changed his initial direction.

Abby looked up at Gibbs when he lowered the Caf-Pow in front of her.

"I haven't earned it, Gibbs!" She spoke in a pout.

Gibbs paused. "Why? Hit a dead end in the Perfecto Case?"

Abby rolled her eyes. "He's been quiet the last two weeks. He might be on vacation. And he keeps leaving me nothing to find!"

"Abs, it means he's not killing." Gibbs pointed out.

"Either way, that's not my problem! The DNA must be messed up, Gibbs!" Abby rose from the computer and rounded her desk. "I took four samples, as I usually do, and put them through my wonderful DNA-checker! But I keep getting a match…"

She walked into the lab and around Hach across from the main computer station that was labeled 'Abby' on a sticky note. Hiding a smirk, Hach knew Abby was having a difficult time catching a break on the Perfecto case. But, she did not want to get in Abby's way when she was here at her lab as a guest.

"…for someone who's already dead."

Hach tapped a few keys and a photo popped onto the screen. Gibbs stared at the screen and the name SHEPARD flashed below the picture. The shock alone could not be hidden even from Gibbs. Colonel Shepard was lying in autpsy?

Gibbs tensed then spoke. "That's not possible."

"That's what I said!" Abby knew what this meant. "I checked it twice! And I'm running it again for the sake of my sanity."

At that moment, Director Vance walked into the lab not bothering to glance at the glass enclosure recently added to the Forensics laboratory due to the missing wall exposing the interior pipes leading to the upper floors. Director Vance wore a dark gray suit with white collared shirt, black tie and matching black shiny shoes. He looked to Dr. Hature as he came up behind Agent Gibbs. She kept her eyes on him.

"I warned you." Hach spoke quietly.

Gibbs and Abby turned to face Vance. Both heard Hach, curious as to why she spoke in not only the tone but the choice of words as well. But the forensic scientist did not stick around. Hach was already leaving the laboratory, disappearing through the door before she could be questioned. Abby tried to soften the quickly thickening air of animosity in her land and said cheerfully.

"Always nice to have you visit my lab, Director Vance!" Abby glanced at the glass enclosure and construction. "Sorry, for the mess."

Vance appeared to not pay her any attention, his dark eyes set on Gibbs.

"Sir." Was all Gibbs said.

Vance looked to the screen then back to Gibbs.

"My office." Vance turned around.

"Damn right your office." He swore under his breath and followed.

**Chapter Three**

Gibbs immediately followed Vance into the Director's office slamming the door slammed shut behind them. The view of Colonel Shepard seen in the laboratory was displayed on the wall screen above the conference table. A picture of Jenny Shepard was posted beside her father. It was odd to find both father and daughter pictured side-by-side. It was rare they were seen together while living. Gibbs turned from the memory and focused his attention on the current Director of NCIS. Vance opted to stand next to the conference table.

"There is no way that's Colonel Shepard." Gibbs could barely contain his own shock.

Yet Vance appeared all too comfortable with the knowledge of an Army Colonel. Not just an Army Colonel, Colonel Jasper Shepard. Former Director Jenny Shepard's father who was long thought dead. The victim of his own hand and a gun pointed at his head.

"When have you ever known Miss Sciuto to be wrong?" Vance leaned next to the conference table in his office rather than go to his desk. "Or Dr. Hature for that matter?"

"What is her role in this?" Gibbs watched Vance closely. "What did she warn you about? Who is this Dr. Hature you've thrown on me?"

"It's classified above my pay grade." Vance sighed. "I only know slightly more than you at this point and I'm the Director of NCIS. Hature's one of my people and I'll put her anywhere I damn well please. As for Colonel Shepard, what I do know I can't tell you even if I wanted to."

"So the Army covered up a fake suicide?" Gibbs fumed. "Jenny…"

"Director Shepard never suspected it, as far as I know." Vance played it straight.

Gibbs felt irritated he was once again left out of the loop but then, so had NCIS and Director Vance. "He was working on something?"

"No one knows what it is." Vance shrugged. "I've been doing my own digging once it was brought to my attention. There's no files, no chatter, no one knows a damn thing. Or they're not willing to talk about it to me."

"Dr. Hature?" Gibbs asked suspicious.

There was a lot about the Doctor he knew nothing about. What little McGee was able to hack through was nothing more than common data. There was a wall of security around Doctor Hature and he hated to admit she had him stumped at the moment.

"She's got her fingers in a lot of pies around NCIS and beyond." Vance stood his ground. "She's got more connections than the Pentagon and the Oval Office has her listed as a consultant. I can't force her to do anything without Sec Nav's approval. What that makes me is tied up and pissed about it. Worse, she knows it."

"Why is she here?"

"To take over when Miss Sciuto's on the Perfecto Case." Vance knew not to lie now. "Director Shepard had been trying to get her here in DC for years though she never said why. If she hadn't mentioned it in passing before she died, I would've never known. Dr. Hature, Hach as she prefers to be called, never showed any interest that I know of. Once the lab at Norfolk was slated for renovation and Dr. Weinstren retired, she requested the transfer from Hawaii."

"You don't find that odd?" Gibbs queried.

"There's a lot about Hach I find odd." Vance sighed. "But she's done nothing that indicates she's a problem for me at the moment. I've been watching her since Director Morrow's time. She's as solid as her record is."

Gibbs stepped to Vance. "What aren't you telling me, sir?"

Vance paused before he spoke choosing his words wisely.

"Storm's coming." His expression turned fierce. "And when it hits, pray she's on our team. Keep on this case, find the answers."

"Army will want the lead." Gibbs pointed out. "CID gets wind we have one of their own…"

"Let me worry about the CID." Vance pushed his hands in his trouser pockets. "You're free to leave, Agent Gibbs."

Gibbs hesitated before leaving the office.

**Chapter Four**

Hach sat at the lab confident in her knowledge that all these years she was right about one thing. However, how much would be revealed at the conclusion of this case? Now that the remains of Colonel Shepard were found, the knowledge of his suicide covered by the Army would leak out. Somehow she was fine with that. It would only bring the truth to light.

Hach brought up a screen showing the Homeland Security webpage. Her fingers flicked around the keyboard in specific strokes. A smaller box popped up running through algorithms and lines of code began scrolling from the bottom to top across the screen.

"A few minutes more…" Hach smiled. "Let me see what you have there…"

The page flickered then. Hach fingers flicked across the keyboard faster now. She had to keep ahead of the program designed to backtrack hackers IP accounts. A few more strokes and she was out running the flickering on the screen. An eerie smile crossed her lips then. After a few more keystrokes, she found what she wanted.

"It seems they've been working on their security." Hach tilted her head slightly to the left. "Not good enough."

Data popped up on the screen. A picture of Colonel Shepard flashed across the screen then popped up in a smaller window. Paragraphs of information of official documents began opening quickly in separate windows highlighting specific cases he worked on secretly. Hach saved them to her own ghost drive attached to the computer in the lab to be discreetly removed later. She perked her head up and paused. Hach closed the windows and turned towards the box of evidence on the table behind her.

"I'm going to find you." She whispered.

She picked through the evidence bags looking for something specific.

Abby bounced into the lab after breaking the news to Tony, Ziva and Tim about the discovery of the bones' owner being Colonel Jasper Shepard. Former Director Jenny Shepard's father long thought to have committed suicide in his home after being suspected of taking a bribe. Since he worked at the Pentagon, many automatically assumed the accusation was true and passed judgment. She halted at the evidence table curious that Hach was onto something.

"What have you got there?" Abby stared at Hach's concentrated face.

"A telltale sign." Hach found what she needed.

The evidence bag contained a single piece of brown paper roughly square with three black swishes in the form of a loose 'R'. Hach knew she would be scrutinized by everyone on Gibbs' team once word spread. She had limited trust at this time but that slid to near zero in seconds once she made the statement. Abby and Gibbs proved they heard her. However, neither she nor Vance was allowed to discuss the specifics of the Shepard suicide case from long ago.

"Of?" Abby wanted to know.

"My old friend…the Reaper." Hach took tweezers from the table and open the evidence bag.

Abby stared at the evidence bag, her mouth opened in awe.

Hach stared sternly then her expression softened. "Let me tell you a tale about a man named Death…"

**Chapter Five**

Abby stood with Gibbs, Tony, Ziva, and McGee in front of the plasma in Gibbs' pen, her pet name for Gibbs' office area. She clicked the picture of Colonel Shepard to a smaller screen and brought up the picture of the brown paper with the 'R' on it. There were several windows with paragraphs open as well. McGee left the group to sit at his desk and began tapping on his keyboard chasing an idea.

"There's a name we haven't seen in a few years around here." Tony spoke solemnly.

"Apparently this is the work of the Reaper." Abby brought up a dual screen with a list of dates, times, and locations. "He's been haunting the armed forces for nearly ten years now. A very slippery fellow according to the NCIS file we have. He's been accredited with over twenty kills and all arranged to look like suicides."

"Serial killer or mercenary?" Ziva wanted to know.

"Both." Tony answered.

Abby pulled up the photos of twelve men. "All of these men were suspected to have been killed by the Reaper. Colonel Clancey Harkin stationed in Germany for six months on ambassador duties and formerly stationed here in DC. Admiral Robert Toones stationed in DC prior to his assignment to the Philippines. Colonel Thomas Huell formerly stationed in Norfolk then transferred to Japan. Lieutenant Colonel Jose Chavez stationed in DC at the time of his death. Colonel Miguel Ibarra was initially stationed in DC but then transferred to Germany. LT. Colonel Ron Kaiser of the Pentagon, Colonel Jesse Dollard also stationed at the Pentagon prior to traveling to Germany, Brigadeer General Lawrence Devin was assigned to the Pentagon at the same time as Colonel Shepard. Here's an oddity, Major Marco Reyes, who was Brigadeer General Devin's assistant. They were found together at the General's house. They think this was a chance encounter and a secondary hit to cover the Reaper's identity. Colonel John Chauncey of Seattle and Major Stanley Morgan. And that's just the Army's victim list."

"They were stationed in DC, Norfolk, or the Pentagon." Tony noted. "And killed overseas."

Ziva pointed out. "The Reaper waited for them off American soil. According to the records where these men were found, none of them lived on base."

"So it won't get the attention of the military." Gibbs concluded.

Tony added. "Avoids military involvement during the investigation and local law enforcement will automatically rule out homicide just by observation. No one would see the clear signs of the set up."

"Or find out that they all knew Colonel Shepard." McGee pulled up the service records. "They served together within a two year period overseas in Germany, the Philippines and Japan."

"Keeping it close to home." Tony stared at the faces of the victims of the Reaper and folded his arms across his chest. "They were working on something together."

"But why pick them off one by one and cover his tracks? Why make them appear as suicides?" Ziva frowned and folded her arms. "If Colonel Shepard figured out the motive, why didn't bring it to someone's attention higher up the command chain? And why would Colonel Shepard fake his own death to go after him?"

Tim shook his head. "Since he covered up his suicide, he had enough info to go after whoever was picking off his friends. He knew the motive and why they were targeted. It wasn't something the Army wanted to go public."

"Or it was embarrassing enough to risk his career." Ziva frowned. "But he had a finger tap. It's used for specifically committing suicide."

Abby clicked the plasma and the photo of the crime scene came up then zoomed to the desk and his hand showing the small device. "It was planted to make the scene appear like a realistic suicide. So, no one would question it otherwise."

Tim agreed. "Make everyone think you're gone. Gives him plenty of time to plan out how to catch the Reaper."

"And lost his life trying to stop him." Tony added grimly with a touch of anger. "He lied to Director Shepard, his own daughter, he left all of his friends behind, and his family, and ruined his career to chase down a serial killer? I smell a case of BS. Something's off."

Abby felt the same way. "And you'd be right, Tony. These aren't just low-level enlisted men. The Reaper goes after high-ranking officers across all branches of the military. Some of his earlier kills were probably for hire. Once his skills were honed, he went after these men specifically. But there's no clear motive and no evidence except the 'R' left at each scene. I mean completely clean! Nothing, not even a speck of dirt or skin cell is left behind. Reminds me a lot of the Perfecto case."

Gibbs walked up behind the group staring at the plasma. "Related?"

"I don't think so." Abby was unsure glancing over at Gibbs. "But I can't rule it out. Hach wasn't willing to give me any more info from her files on this guy cause some of it's classified above my level. She's got years of data on the Reaper. No one in the Navy's bothered giving it their attention until last year when Naval Rear Admiral Richard Rogers apparently killed himself on vacation in Costa Rica. Left his wife in the other room and did it around one in the morning at the kitchen table. Wife found him the next morning with no gun and this same 'R' carved into the table."

Gibbs appeared calm then left the group heading towards the lab. McGee and Abby looked to one another. Tony and Ziva both understood what the gesture meant not bothering to look at anyone else in the office.

"I would hate to be Hach right now." Tony shook his head.

Ziva nodded in agreement. "She's too smart for her own good."

**Chapter Six**

Gibbs entered the morgue finding Ducky hanging over the bones of Colonel Shepard lying on the stainless steel table before him. It was easier not to think of the skeleton as a person since there was no face to stare into. Ducky stood at the skull pondering the caliber of the bullet that ended the man's life. His eyes did not hide the pondering in his mind. Lifting his weary eyes to Gibbs, Ducky sighed.

"I know what you're going to ask." He shook his head. "I didn't do the autopsy on Colonel Shepard back then. My predecessor, Dr. Walter Magnus, had the unique privilege of that experience. He was read into the case by special request of the Pentagon. They wanted to eliminate bias on the part of the Army in hopes it wasn't a suicide. Neutral ground, you might say."

Gibbs appeared agitated and frustrated. "How did we miss this, Duck?"

"We had no reason to read into the suicide as anything but a suicide, Jethro." Ducky knew how Jethro felt, knew the personal history of those involved. "Would it have made a difference how things turned out between you and Director Shepard?" He paused. "We'll never know the answer to that question."

Gibbs remained silent for a moment then spoke one word. "Hature."

Duck found the name spoken a surprise. "You believe her to be involved in the cover up?"

"She knows something." Gibbs wanted answers. "I'm reading between the lines and we've only just begun. Vance can't tell me anything. She gave Abby the file on the Reaper readily. I don't know how to handle her, Duck." He rubbed his forehead in frustration trying to organize the clues in his head.

"That doesn't happen often with you." Duck smirked.

Gibbs head perked up and glared at Ducky. "She's a loose end and I don't which side she's playing for. Is Dr. Hature a friend or foe?"

Ducky lifted his chin. "She's been at NCIS for 18 years, Jethro." He paused. "I may not know much about her personal life. But I can assure you, she's spent more time in her lab than Abby does looking for the clues of how other Naval personnel died. Abby looks to her as a mentor and I hold her professional opinions in high esteem."

"You've been studying her?" Gibbs was caught off guard. "Duck?"

He smiled. "I might've been studying her on a less than professional level. However, she is not the type of woman to fawn over male attention. She's much like you in how she treats the people around her though she has a bit more tact than you do. Her personal life's a mystery. She keeps that to herself, I'm afraid."

Gibbs turned to leave.

Ducky wondered why Jethro was so willing to leave. "The Reaper left a calling card at the dump site."

Gibbs turned at the door. "Abby?"

Ducky shook his head. "No, Hach. She worked a similar case previously so she knew what to look for. Gave it to Abby to analyze since Perfecto's on hold at the moment."

Gibbs shook his head unable to figure Dr. Hature out.

Ducky straightened and continued with his assessment. "Our friend died three months ago or thereabouts. A .38 caliber bullet appears to be our murder weapon. My initial assessment still stands. There was massive internal bleeding and bruising judging by what's left on the bones. Colonel Shepard met a violent end at the hands of his attacker. An attacker who knew how to take down an Army Colonel, Jethro."

"There's more to the story, Duck." Gibbs felt the instinct kick in. "And we can't see it."

"Then we'd better find the answers." Ducky grimaced and looked to Gibbs with sympathy. "It's the least we can do for an old friend."

"We've lost more than one of them." Gibbs reminded himself then turned and left autopsy.

Ducky watched him go then spoke as if Gibbs remained in the room. "I'll get you a profile on the Reaper as soon as I can, Jethro. We'll get to the bottom of this mystery…" He leaned over the table of bones. "…and find the right ending for this story."

Ducky winked at the bones then got back to work. At that moment, Palmer walked into autopsy dressed in scrubs. He was washed up and gloved ready for the analysis.

**Chapter Seven**

Sitting in front of the computer facing Abby's workstation, the pictures of the Colonel and his daughter, now both confirmed dead, sat in split screens. Their eyes stared out at her. Yet she could not help the anger and hatred that consumed her at the moment. Her eyes flared with her emotions unguarded. She forgot the images were copied to the large plasma screen behind her.

Hach knew he was coming for her. The Reaper was coming closer and closer now. He wanted all the loose ends tied. No one who knew the truth would be left alive. DC held the key to his plans. What those were, she spent a better part of the last two years trying to piece together.

She found herself unable to focus on work at the moment. Something interfering with her work rarely occurred and made her stop to re-evaluate her initial findings from the first Reaper case she analyzed. Analyzing, that was what she should be doing at the moment. However, she found herself sitting at the lab table waiting in deep thought. Though for what, she did not know. Something told her to wait before she got back to work.

Since her slip to Director Vance this morning, she knew there would be many questions that would reach all the way up the chain of command. It proved she suspected Colonel Shepard was alive at the time of his apparent suicide. At minimum, the Sec-Nav's and the Army's involvement was assured at this point. Once the news broke of the find, the Pentagon and who else knew or thought they were entitled to know would get involved as well. Director Vance had a lot on his plate to deal with presently.

But out of the fiasco about to unfold, she would be able to find out how far up the line the conspiracy to hide the fake suicide went. It was something she suspected for some time but no one believed her. No one in command wanted to hear about the evidence she discovered. She looked up to find she was no longer alone in the lab.

Gibbs started from the doorway. "You have too many secrets."

He walked further into the lab but not much further than the glass enclosure. If she had to assign an emotion it would be anger mixed with curiosity. There was hurt in there as well. She spent many years trying to minimize the level of her intelligence in an attempt to relate to the people around her both at work and at home among family during holiday gatherings. Being a classified genius made social skills low on the learning schedule. The military exploited her genius from a young age until she discovered their deceit. Learning these social skills helped her to avoid being exploited as she had been as a child by…everyone.

"Just as you have many secrets." Hach kept the lab table between them. "However, I'm just better at deciphering yours than you are at mine."

"You know something."

"Of course, I'm part of the loop into the Reaper killings." Hach kept her eyes on Gibbs knowing eye contact was important to him. "I have more invested in this than you do."

"That's not what I meant." Gibbs narrowed his eyes in irritation.

"I'm not allowed to speak of such things." Hach felt a slight tug at the fires of suspicion now burning in his eyes. "I wasn't part of it from the beginning. I figured it all out years later and I was given the shoo-off for my trouble. Told to keep my mouth shut on orders. It's out of my hands how things were handled."

Gibbs huffed slightly, shaking his head. "Too smart for your own good."

Gibbs noted the wince when Hach removed the picture of Jenny Shepard from the screen first then the Colonel. Her expressions were unguarded for that one brief moment and it was of both hate and disgust. There was something between them in the past. He sensed it.

"That's what they keep telling me." Hach wanted him gone. "I make my own way, in my own way."

"You have more money than everyone combined in this whole damn building." Gibbs watched Hach closely. "Why are you at NCIS?"

Tim McGee was able to at least pull her financials without being blocked. Having that many patents for medical and military analytical equipment was astounding even by his standards. Her private company operated with her on the board and controlled through a mediator to avoid a conflict of interest while working at NCIS. All that had to be public information by law. Gibbs wondered why a woman of her education and wealth worked at NCIS for such a meager salary.

"My reasons are my reasons." Hach turned from him. "I don't need to explain them to you. Once Abby completes her aid on the Perfecto case you won't have to bother working with me. My forensics lab is nearly completed at Norfolk."

"The Reaper." Gibbs kept it simple.

"Probably military trained." Hach stated the facts from the psyche profile she read. "Ten years ago I came across a suicide in my lab evidence box, a special request from a forensics friend in Japan who was overwhelmed. Everything pointed to self-termination until I found the slip of brown paper with the 'R' on it in black India ink. Untraceable ink since it was homemade. Captain James Caseman was never known to have suffered from depression and appeared to be the happiest of men. His wife gave birth to their third child, Malcolm Montgomery Caseman, two weeks previous. He loved the Navy, a definite military lifer according to everyone who knew him. The bullet projection to his right temple was off by six millimeters. I used arm length measurements and knew his military experience to make my final determination. I declared it a homicide and the case got noticed."

"You checked into other suicide cases?"

"Global cases, yes." Hach knew how Gibbs mind worked where homicide was involved. "I figured if this Reaper hit in the US, he would've been discovered sooner. Once I got the data, I discovered a pattern over the course of twelve years. The Reaper always made the evidence just slightly off and kept all the suicides off American soil. A good investigator would know on sight the difference between a crime scene and a suicide."

"Not everyone is a good investigator." Gibbs replied, his anger gone.

"He slipped through on eleven cases because he knew how the locals would treat such cases." Hach sighed. "I brought it to the Director of the NCIS, Morrow at the time, to have more teams work on the Reaper Case. Again I was shot down. The case was named for Captain Caseman. He was stationed in Japan at the time of his death and living on base in family housing. But he was found at a friend's house off base after having an argument with his wife and he left for a couple of days to cool off. It was jsut before Halloween, he was planning on going as the 'Reaper' to take his kids trick or treating around the base. His kids got the benefits they needed by his death being ruled as a homicide."

"The Reaper wanted attention." Gibbs stated.

"He wanted to see if we, NCIS, were paying attention." Hach sighed. "I made the notes, took the photos, and made the case for homicide. When the final decision came down, they believed in the analysis."

Gibbs recognized an excellent forensic analyst when he saw one. The problem with her, he knew nothing about her. And McGee was having a lot of trouble chasing down personal info. Everywhere he went there were passwords and security blocks. Some of these sites needed a higher security clearance than what he possessed.

"How am I supposed to trust you?"

Hach hesitated then replied honestly. "Know I'll never put a knife in your back, Agent Gibbs." And Hach went back to work.

Gibbs left the lab knowing when a woman was finished with a conversation.

**Chapter Eight**

The three members of Gibbs' team stood watching the plasma screen pretending they were discussing work. Neither had the desire to worry about the information scrolling across the right side of the screen. It was automatically saved on McGee's computer for back up purposes anyway.

Tim bent close to the others pretending to read the plasma screen with his eyes and whispered. "How do you think it'll go between Hach and Gibbs?"

"Bet he chews her up and spits her out." Tony protruded his teeth out and snapped a few times.

Gibbs returned to the office at that point. "Is there some reason you're imitating a fish, DiNozzo?"

"Just showing McGoogle Eyes here how Pirahna's bite, boss." Tony covered. "How do we handle this one?"

He shrugged at the stupid question. "Like any other case, DiNozzo." Gibbs sat down behind his desk and put on his glasses. "We focus on the Reaper and find out who he is."

"I'll get the case files on the Reaper." McGee stated to no one in particular.

"DiNozzo, you and Ziva work the park, look for witnesses over the last few months. Vendors, frequent visitors, any one could have seen a vehicle. Someone who didn't fit or make sense to be in that area. Ducky says the Colonel's been there at least three months."

Tony nodded and knew how to proceed.

"McGee, work financials on Colonel Shepard from before his suicide. Go back five years if needed. If he was going deep, he would've kept an account on the side to fund it. Abby and Dr. Hature are working the evidence from the crime scene as a fresh case."

McGee looked to Ziva and Tony, both who paused when they were told that Abby and Hature would be working together. They exchanged 'I-guess-they-figured-things-out' expressions between them.

"DiNozzo." Gibbs spoke softly.

"On it, boss!" Tony and Ziva headed out.

**Chapter Nine**

Abby stood in front of her computer screen watching the images on the screen with fists clenched. She was anxiously awaiting results. Hach stood off to her right amused, studying the Goth scientist with focused eyes. Abby's expression changed from one of anticipation to one of defeat.

"Nothing!" Abby beat her fists on the counter on either side of her keyboard. "Nothing! Nothing! Nothing! That was the last piece! That's not fair!" She folded her arms in a pout.

Hach patted her on the shoulder. "None of the evidence will reveal any information as to the killer's identity. He's meticulous at covering his tracks."

"He's human!" Abby did not want to let go. "He's not perfect! He'll leave evidence at some point. How long have you been chasing this guy again?"

"Last ten years or so." Hach shrugged. "I've lost count on purpose."

"I hate reminders too." Abby quipped softly.

Abby stomped off into her office as Tim McGee entered the lab. He stopped when he noticed Abby was having a temper tantrum. Pausing, he then turned his attention to Hach, eyeing him suspiciously waiting for him to begin.

"Nothing, uh?" Tim asked Hach.

"What was your first clue?" Hach wanted to know and glanced at Abby. "She'll accept this defeat as a temporary set back. She'll come back with a fresh idea once her anger settles. Her emails were always a source of fun when she was stumped on a case."

"You consulted on a few cases with Abby?" Tim was curious.

Hach appeared more approachable now since the first time they met a few weeks back. He was unsure why he found her mysteriousness rather attractive despite her being a few years older than him. Well, more than a few years older than him. And she looked nothing like her age if the records were to be believed.

"Yes, when she got stuck on Perfecto." Hach switched the computer over to an older case she had been working on since last week to close. "She sent me many emails regarding evidence leaks, chains-of-custody issues, equipment calculations, equilibriums, chemical formulas, the like."

"You have patents on a few machines she'd love to have in here."

Tim lost count on the number of equipment some time after they first met when he attempted to hack into the NCIS mainframe and her computer from an off site source. Hach was more secured than the Pentagon and the White House. If she designed the security there, the Pentagon and the country would be a lot safer. Tim knew security systems well enough to understand the patterns each programmer incorporated into their programs. He had yet to crack one she wrote. And she never allowed him a single backdoor before shutting him down completely. Doctor Guinevere Hature had become his hacker's final fantasy, the Goddess of all that is hacking. Four PhD's should have told him she out classed his skills. Who was he to turn down a challenge? Tim smirked at the idea.

"It would speed up her analysis time certainly." Hach blinked. "I'd suspect your boss would prefer the faster methods."

Tim nodded. "I was wondering where the case files attributed to the Reaper are kept?"

Hach paused to look at him. "Ah, Gibbs wants you to start compiling the data. Good, I've got other cases I'm trying to clear up." She tossed him a flash drive.

McGee caught it easily and walked out of the lab with his new mission. Hach was more than happy to get those off her mind. It seemed that Gibbs had called a temporary truce between them. At least until the Reaper was identified and caught, she concluded. She knew Gibbs was the silent man. But he was a ruthless investigator when he was on a hunt.

TO BE CONTINUED…


	17. Episode 6: Broken Rules Part 2

**NCIS Season 9**

**Episode 9.6.2**

**BROKEN RULES**

**By: Lady JenDragon**

**Disclaimer: **NCIS and its characters belong to whoever created them. Yeah, yeah, but my own characters are mine.

**Author's Notes: **Hymm…I think there's so much more we can do with NCIS. Don't you?

* * *

**BROKEN RULES**

**PART TWO**

**Chapter Ten**

Tony and Ziva combed Rock Creek Park for some time. Vendors, regular joggers they knew on sight, park rangers who worked the park on a regular basis, no one had seen a thing.

"Three months ago is a long time to some people." Ziva walked beside Tony.

He closed his notebook and slid it into his pocket.

"Someone would've seen something."

They came upon the crime scene still cordoned off with guards stationed for the first seventy-two hours. Tony glanced around the bushes knowing every one of them had been combed through. He noticed there were four running paths that come together. He pondered for a moment as Ziva looked around as well.

"If he wanted the body found, he would've dumped it in a more secluded place."

"You're saying the Reaper wanted us to find it?" Ziva frowned.

"He wanted NCIS to find Colonel Shepard." Tony concluded satisfactorily. "He knew it would be the Major Case Response Team taking the case once a body was found. The Silver Eagle was planted on purpose along with the R on the paper."

"Makes sense he knows about the military." Ziva reasoned. "He patrolled the park and knew when this area would be empty of people to make the dump. During the day, it would be too crowded."

"A shallow grave would be enough to let the body degrade, eventually someone's dog would dig up a bone." Tony continued. "He also knew how long it would take for the body to decay where using DNA on bones would be required. He dug the grave himself."

"That would take a couple of hours. He planned it out." Ziva looked around at the paths and pointed towards the west. "There's a maintenance road 100 feet that way. That's got to be his way in."

Tony nodded and they walked off towards the paths.

A few minutes later they arrived through the vegetation. Tony appeared to have a more difficult time getting through the bushes than Ziva. She smirked holding the branches aside for him. The maintenance road was nothing more than compacted dirt kept more natural and to save money on the cost of asphalt.

"There aren't any tracks." Ziva walked the length of compacted dirt road.

Tony bent down near the bushes opposite where they emerged. He took tweezers out of his pocket and plucked a brown piece of paper off the bush. He stared at the black inked 'R' as he slid it into the evidence bag. Ziva came up behind him.

"He left a clue?" She frowned watching Tony stare into the bush.

Tony reached into the bush with his tweezers. Something heavy clinked on the metal. He hooked onto it and drew his arm out. On the end was a .38 revolver.

"I'm really beginning to feel like Hansel and Gretal here."

Ziva frowned. "We don't have any buckets."

Tony sighed as he surveyed at the gun. "No, that's Jack and Jill. You know, Hansel and Gretal! Bread crumbs…"

"Oh." Ziva had the large evidence bag open. "Is that the witch who captured and fattened the two children up with candy and they eventually stuffed her into an oven?"

"Yes!" Tony felt relieved.

Ziva sealed the bag. "Weird story. Candy would hardly be a lure for me."

Tony rolled his eyes as they continued their search of the area. They would need to call in the team to get any more evidence from this area. Not that he expected to find any. However, it would way too large for just the pair of them. He pulled out his phone and made the call.

Ziva moved off down the road.

**Chapter Eleven**

In the quiet of the Director's office, Vance stared at the photo of Jenny Shepard attached to the file by a paper clip spread out before him on the desk. He read the file from Homeland Security at least three times since he received it this morning. Still, he could not bring himself to understand how it happened. How the chain of command broke down and a mole was allowed into the ranks. That this mole rose quickly enough that no one caught onto him until a single agent connected the dots and informed her superiors. That agent was not Jenny Shepard.

"But you sure knew her, didn't you?" Vance veered his eyes to the photo on the plasma above the conference table.

Dr. Guinevere Hature never smiled in photos. Now he knew why and thought the whole story would never be in this file. He nodded towards the photo and decided it was time he gave her a break. She was not the leak he thought she might be after all. And her record proved that. But he knew the file would not contain the full, true story he wanted, needed to know. He would ask Dr. Hature about it when the time was right.

At that moment, he heard the commotion outside his door. He clicked off the plasma screen and closed Jenny Shepard's file placing it beneath a stack on his desk. The door flew open and Gibbs strode in on a mission. It appeared he was the good Director at the moment.

"What do you want now, Agent Gibbs."

Gibbs paused in front of his desk. "The Reaper wanted us to find Colonel Shepard. Not the Army, not the Pentagon. He wants to play a game with us. NCIS. What I need is free access to the files on Colonel Shepard. We can't chase this Reaper until we have complete records."

"That's going to take some time with the Army." Vance got to his feet. "You know they don't like it when you take a case on one of theirs. How do you know this Reaper wanted us to find Shepard?"

"Time, location, depth of the grave." Gibbs knew details were important to the Reaper. "He was meticulous at planning it. Navy Yard, Rock Creek Park."

"Sounded like it to me too. I just wanted to hear it from you before I made it official." Vance knew his hands would be tied up for a while with the Army. "I'll get you what I can."

"Ah come on, Leon!" Gibbs tossed up his right hand frustrated he was hitting brick walls among own people. "If we want to catch this guy, we need the road cleared! You know I'm not looking for a way in otherwise!"

"I do know that." Vance nodded off to his left. "The Army doesn't see it that way. Give me 24-hours, Gibbs. Let me see what I can do about those records. After that, you might want to use the Wrath of Hach to get what you need."

That made Gibbs pause. He understood that anger could be a powerful ally or it could just make you stupid. Some how hearing 'The Wrath of Hach' sounded like a threat. Was there something he should know about Dr. Hature's temper?

"Who else knows?" Gibbs wanted to know.

Director Vance was as secretive as agents come. However, he being more like McGee, he had his methods. Every word he used was loaded. If the Reaper wanted NCIS to find Colonel Shepard, then the Reaper had plans for them. And Vance had already read between the lines.

Vance shrugged. "Everyone, now." He glanced at his watch. "Only took six hours. That's got to be a record. I've gotten everyone from family to the White House calling me asking for details I don't have. If we can wheel and deal this Reaper into the mix, I might have some pull with these people to cooperate. Suicide doesn't look good on a record."

"You leaked the info?" Gibbs found that hard to believe.

Vance smirked slightly. "If you want to know who comes to the watering hole, you got to put some water in it."

Gibbs liked his style though not always the method of execution. He knew there was nothing more he could do here. His team would be reporting back soon, hopefully with something they could use. He wanted to know everything about the Reaper.

**Chapter Twelve**

McGee was up against some fierce competition. DHS, Department of Homeland Security, was getting better at keeping their secrets. The usual backdoors were closing on him. With every move forward, he took two steps back. At times it was frustrating. His computer beeped indicating the receipt of an email.

Then his computer went black. He tapped on several keys. Nothing. McGee lowered his head in defeat. At that moment, Hach walked into the office.

"You look…beaten, Agent McGee." Hach stared at the young agent.

Tim looked up at her. She wore a terracotta pant suit with a white collarless shirt. The pants were pressed and loose around the legs. She wore her hair in a ponytail high on her head. Several blonde tresses fell from her temples framing her face. Tim frowned remembering never knowing Hach to wear a dress or a skirt.

Tim hated to admit someone was better than him at hacking and spoke in a whiny tone. "DHS just kicked my ass."

"Ah, the old hacking method of chasing backdoors." Hach smiled. "One day, you too will be master. Keep the faith, win you will."

Tim sighed. "You never ran into a code you couldn't crack?"

Hach thought for a second and shook her head. "No." She smiled shortly lifting an eyebrow at him. "But then I usually write the codes hackers can't crack anyway."

That got Tim thinking. "You wrote the DHS code?"

"No." Hach shook her blonde head. "But I got in yesterday. I was hoping to catch Ziva. Apparently Abby requests her presence in Forensics. I was told to relay the message on my way out."

"You're leaving?" McGee wondered if she would be allowed to work the case.

"I have an appointment, I'll be back later." Hach checked the time on her phone. "The spec's on the new equipment for my lab in Norfolk requires extra attention. And I can't be late. Please pass the request to Ziva upon her return."

McGee watched her walk gracefully to the elevators checking her out. He heard the clear 'bing' of the elevator arrival and watched TC Fornell step off and up to Dr. Hature. What he saw made him gasp. Hach side-stepped Fornell and then tripped him as he walked past when she boarded the elevator. Fornell turned towards the doors but they were already closing on Hach smiling. The look in their eyes when they met made him shiver.

"Ah…damn." Tim smirked. "Someone else doesn't like the FBI either." Then whispered. "Worse than Gibbs."

Now he had to tell Ziva and Tony.

**Chapter Thirteen**

Gibbs looked down from MTAC to find T.C. Fornell standing by the elevator facing the doors. He did not miss the exchange between Hature and the FBI agent. It was rare these days to find him wearing a NCIS visitor badge. However, he appeared pressed for time and clearly wanted to talk. His eyes were pretty set that the meeting had to take place otherwise he would not have come. They would meet in their usual conference room.

Minutes later, Gibbs and Fornell stood side-by-side in the elevator. He pressed the button to head down. The doors closed slowly and they allowed the elevator to begin moving. Counting to five in his head, Gibbs stepped forward and hit the emergency stop button. The blaring ring of emergency quivered out, the noise muffled on the elevator car interior.

"What is it this time, Tobias?" Gibbs knew the investigation was circulating. "Who'd we stir up?"

"Everyone." Fornell liked NCIS for this reason. "It's not every day the Pentagon gets its panties in a twist over a falsified suicide. Colonel Shepard's a black spot in their history they'd like to erase. Now that you've officially found him dead how may years later at the hands of the Reaper. That makes them look stupid."

Gibbs was unimpressed. "Why are you here?"

"Perfecto and Reaper are the same case." Fornell was direct.

Gibb stiffened. "You sure?"

"Sure as I'll ever be." Fornell did not have time to play. "Perfecto's on the side of mercenary, does civilians only. Typically lets the client paying for the hit choose the method. He goes as Reaper for military hits."

"Who is he?"

"We still don't know." Fornell backed up and leaned against the wall. "Covers his tracks so well, not even our best hackers can find him. Covers his escape routes better than the kill. Why don't you ask, Dr. Hature? She knows just about everything about the Reaper."

"She's hiding behind 'classified'." That irked him more than anything. "Vance and SecNav's protecting her."

"Sounds like trouble in the pond." Fornell smiled. "She is rather cute though. I don't remember her being a blonde though. Doesn't suit her really. Threw me off when I saw her just now."

Gibbs rolled his eyes. "She's not my type."

"More than you think." He smirked. "Word is she's identified him. The Reaper."

Gibbs jerked his head towards Fornell. "She's holding out on evidence?"

Fornell shrugged hoping that was the case. "There was some blood left behind on a hit down in Florida." He would love to see Dr. Hature take a hit from Gibbs. "We got a match to two types but there wasn't enough on the second for DNA. First was the vic's. The second, we got the type, AB positive. There was a match in the database to a suicide in Japan that was later changed to homicide. I requested a copy of the file and was turned down. A week later, suddenly the whole case just disappeared from the database. She was the forensic scientist assigned to the case."

Gibbs knew there was some jostling between the agencies to get more cooperation now that the Colonel Shepard murder was officially out. This withholding information would only alienate Hature if it were true. However, to remove a file completely from the database smelled like a cover-up. Was she capable of going that far? Hach told him she would never stab him in the back. Somehow he found that difficult to believe now.

That was the end of their conference.

**Chapter Fourteen**

Gibbs walked into the office from the direction of the elevator in a bad mood. He knew there was more going on with Dr. Hature than he was led to believe. If she lied to him, he would make sure she got slapped with something far more damaging than withholding evidence from an official investigation.

Tim sensed the boss was not in a good mood. "Fornell from the FBI was here."

"Saw him." Gibbs sat behind his desk.

"Apparently, Hach and Fornell don't like each other." Tim reported keeping the observations simple. "When he got off, she was getting on. The movements of her body language indicated she wasn't happy to see him. She side-stepped him, tripped him and went in."

"Dr. Hature left then?" Gibbs knew he would have to wait to question her.

"Yeah." Tim tapped away at his keyboard rebooting his system. "She had an appointment with the equipment guys for the new lab in Norfolk. She didn't want to be late."

"Imagine that." Gibbs quipped under his breath.

Tim brought up his windows setting, finding he had a single email in his inbox. Clicking on it, he found the address was a ghost. There was quite a large attachment. The first was a photo.

"Uh, boss." Tim gulped. "You're going to want to see this."

He turned towards the plasma, translating the files to appear in separate windows. Gibbs turned as the photo of Colonel Shepard lying on the grass with cuts and bruises on his face popped up. He was unconscious, the dark earth to his right was deeper than the grass on the left. There was a hand-written date on the bottom: 8/1/11.

"That's Rock Creek Park." Gibbs stood up.

"The shallow grave where the bones were found." Tim added thoughtlessly and tapped away at his keyboard to download the entire photo. "There's more, a lot more here."

Another file popped open, spilling the contents of a paper file. It was the file Gibbs wanted from the Army. The file that was blacked out when the suicide occurred and left for anyone to try to use it for something other than trash.

"He's playing a game with us, Tim."

McGee had to agree with Gibbs. "Why us and not the Army? The Colonel theirs, not ours."

"We're neutral." Gibbs spoke softly. "He wants an objective opinion, our attention on something."

"These are specific killings?" Tim wanted to know.

It was not often Gibbs was in a giving mood. He would those opportunities when they came his way. His thoughts stopped when a photo of Dr. Hature walking across a DC street came up. He watched Gibbs take in a deep breath. Everything about the woman was suspicious to Gibbs. Right now, she was worse than a mole in Gibbs' eyes.

"Find, Dr. Hature now." Gibbs ordered. "And bring her in?"

He was angry.

**Chapter Fifteen**

Hach found herself escorted into Interrogation Room One. She was sat down by the nice young man and asked if she wanted something to drink. A water she replied and watched him leave. So Gibbs thought she should be brought in for questioning. Here she thought he was an honest agent with basic tactics to solve crimes. His reputation certainly made him appear the type to be feared.

Abby Sciuto once explained he lived according to a set of rules. Clearly she was fond of him and looked to him as a father-figure. Her opinion was duly noted but could not be used solely in ascertaining her final verdict on Agent Gibbs. His performance from her observations, were indeed exemplary when it came to catching killers. She found she approved of him as an investigator though his methods were a bit brash.

Gibbs walked into the room and closed the door. He made no eye contact as he walked over and pulled out the chair from the table. He dropped the file in his hands, which would contain nothing, onto the table and sat down. Typical intimidation tactics, Hach mused. Why was he using them on her?

"What's your point, Agent Gibbs?" Hach checked the time.

"You lied to me." He looked at her with cool blue eyes.

"Is that what your friend, Agent Fornell of the FBI, told you?" Hach should have known when she saw him he was up to no good. "Funny how that works, isn't it? Is he still claiming that Perfecto and Reaper are the same killer?"

"Are they?"

"No." Hach hated when investigators ignored scientific evidence. "I tried explaining the difference between the MO's to him over the phone. Clearly, not everyone gets it. He's a pencil pusher, not an investigator."

"You identified the Reaper?"

Hach frowned. "Ah, the secondary blood sample found at the Caseman crime scene." She shrugged. "Is this what you're all twisted up about? My entire investigation is all documented in the case file. Read it."

"It's not in the database." Gibbs watched her closely.

"It's not in the shared database but it is in the NCIS database." Hach frowned at him. "I read it this morning before my appointment."

"No it's not." Gibbs tapped his fingers on the tabletop. "McGee checked."

"We'll then I'll give it to you. There's a paper version on file here at the Naval Yard." Hach folded her arms. "I've got samples running that should be out by now. You want answers or you want to keep asking me stupid questions?"

Gibbs said nothing to that staring at her coldly. She pondered what he might be thinking but considered it a waste of her time. Since her assignment here was only temporary, getting to know him and his team was pointless. Hach got up and walked over to the door.

"All you had to do was ask me." She placed her hand on the knob. "You didn't have to drag me in here like some criminal. Looks bad when you don't trust your team, Agent Gibbs." Hach pointed at the table. "Next time, put something in the file folder before you come in."

When she was gone, he opened the file to reveal a single photo of Colonel Shepard lying next to his shallow grave. He knew the face well enough to know there was no photo doctoring. Abby was going to run it anyway. Copies of the photos sent to McGee's email were on their way down to Ducky for an updated profile on the Reaper.

Hach slipped out of his grip once more. She knew how to handle an investigator. Her manners and behavior were meticulously scripted. Hature could withstand any interrogation he used and not crack under the pressure. No matter how he tried to look at her as a suspect, she slipped through his fingers. Did he want her to be a suspect? Could she be that devious?

**Chapter Sixteen**

Tony's mouth gaped open. All the juicy stuff happened while he was out in the field. Fornell came to visit, Hach tripped him openly, Gibbs had Hach dragged into Interrogation Room One, now she was down in the lab running samples from the latest crime scene, McNerd got an email from someone anonymous with a lot of photos and files the Army did not want seen on Colonel Shepard, and Abby would be leaving again shortly since there was another victim found in the Perfecto case late last night.

"So, they hate each other?" Tony wanted to know every last detail.

"The looks Hach gave Fornell. Whew!" Tim was all too happy to share. "You could light fires. Then she tripped him as he went past her. She had this big, scary smile on her face when the elevator doors closed."

Tony cursed silently he missed the display.

**Chapter Seventeen**

It was against her nature to seek out advice. However, being she was going to someone she considered a colleague, Hach did not put more thought into the appearance of her question. Dr. Mallard would consider it an honor to help someone out. Psychology was more his line of work since he completed his training and became certified in profiling.

She walked into autopsy finding the good doctor at his desk located in the far corner of the room. Pausing, Hach decided that to back out now would be a cowardly move. It was best to get this done and over with. Upon reaching the desk silently, the photos of Colonel Shepard spread out over the top were new.

"Dr. Mallard?" Hach spoke softly.

Ducky lifted his head then twisted in his chair to face Dr. Hature. "Call me Ducky, Hach."

She nodded. "Noted, Ducky." Hach veered her eyes to the photos on the desk. "New evidence?"

Ducky turned slightly and glanced back at the photos. "Yes! These were sent to Tim, Agent McGee, via email from an anonymous source. I'm creating a profile of the Reaper from what we have thus far. What brings you here?"

"A question of 'rage'." Hach recognized the photos as recent judging from the date hand written at the bottom of each photo. "According to the breaks on the bones of the victim you discovered during your examination, was the rage you mentioned a cause of Colonel Shepard's cooperation in an experiment or because the Reaper had a personal connection with the victim?"

Ducky stared at her. "What makes you think the Reaper knew Colonel Shepard?"

"The manner of his death." Hach pointed towards the photos. "None of the other victims were physically beaten. And the extent of his injuries, he got close enough to the Reaper to have a conversation. This logically suggests the Colonel personally knew the identity of the Reaper and how to track him. Since I've experience with the Reaper suicide-homicides, this particular victim breaks his MO."

"Agreed." Ducky nodded. "I get the feeling he's searching for something. The Reaper acts specifically and with great precision. There was residue from a silencer on each victim around the fatal wound."

"A photo won't tell you what he's looking for." Hach pointed out. "Yes, the past suicides showed silencer residues. What does that have anything to do with motive?"

Ducky put up a finger. "What I'm looking for are the clues that will help us figure that out." It was rare to find Hach seeking advice. "The Reaper fancies himself an elite mercenary. He is not choosing his victims randomly based on rank like the FBI seem to believe. I'm surprised that their profile is rather incomplete. How are you finding it here?"

"A lab is a lab." Hach found the question remarkably pointless. "Once Norfolk is completed, I believe I might be able to steal Abby from here."

"I sincerely doubt that." Ducky smiled. "She's rather devoted to this team."

"Teams don't last forever." Hach turned to leave. "Thank you for your input."

The look on Ducky's face made her wonder. Would Abby Sciuto leave the NCIS Navy Yard to transfer to Norfolk? Even if Abby was offered enough money to make it worth the effort? A woman with her skills would be more valuable elsewhere. Yet, she stayed despite the meager paycheck. It was worth taking a closer look.

**Chapter Eighteen**

McGee was able to sift through the Reaper files from Hach's flash drive. He divvied it up between Ziva, Tony and himself. There was a lot on each victim that needed to be delved through before they gathered a list of people to interview. Gibbs returned to the office finding his team working silently. He stopped to consider the unusual atmosphere.

McGee glanced up. "Hi boss." His eyes went back to his screen. "I've got all the Reaper files from Hach. There's a lot to get through."

Ziva got up at that moment. "I have something odd here." She took the remote and clicked on the plasma. "Over the course of two years, the Colonel had a weekly meeting with a Dr. Charles Merrow, a psychologist. According to his interview, the Colonel wasn't there for counseling. He asked a lot of questions about chemical imbalanced people."

Gibbs wondered if there was more to the story now that the Colonel's death was public knowledge. The Media was having a field covering the conspiracy that allowed an Army Colonel get away with faking his own suicide. Where had he gone and why did he do it? Was he really taking a bribe or did the Army frame him to cover up the suicide?

"DiNozzo, Ziva, visit Dr. Merrow again." Gibbs thought about his next move. "See if he changes his mind now that the Colonel's officially dead. McGee, with me. Let's go talk to his assistant."

Tim appeared rushed. "I can look up…"

"I have it already." Gibbs waited, coffee in hand. "Let's go."

McGee got out of his chair. He collected his weapon and field bag, following Gibbs towards the elevator. Tony and Ziva came up behind them. They finally got a line to work. The last twenty-four hours felt stagnated.

**Chapter Nineteen**

Tony sat across from the large, polished desk of Dr. Merrow, Ziva sat off to his right, in the two cushioned chairs in front of the desk. His practice appeared to be doing well despite being connected to Colonel Shepard's suicide more than fifteen years ago. Many thought he was hiding behind doctor-patient privileges. But he never withheld information from the investigators according to the files. The office was decorated minimally in browns and tans. There was little other color in the room. Tony felt he would never spill his guts to a doctor in this environment.

"I don't see why we need to rehash this now." Dr. Merrow, a man approaching fifty with graying hair and tired blue eyes. "His death was….rather shocking."

Tony had his notebook open and pen ready. "It is for us all." He pretended to read the blank page before him. "You previously mentioned that the Colonel was a patient. Did you suspect he was suicidal?"

"No." Charles shook his head. "When I heard the news, I found it hard to accept. A Colonel in the Army just doesn't do that. There was no previous evidence he suffered from any medical condition that would cause that. He never spoke about his work but we did discuss the psychological effects of prolonged exposure to violence."

"You never asked him why he was interested?" Ziva asked from Tony's left. "I doubt a man in your profession wouldn't be curious."

Charles stretched his neck first left then right. "I did suspect it was something he was working on. But I never got specifics. If I got too curious and asked the wrong questions, then he would disappear altogether. Colonel Shepard came to me because he knew I'd keep it basic."

He paused…then stood up. Pulling a chain from around his neck, a key was visible on the end of it. Charles Merrow glanced around the room, then turned towards the wall of degrees and commendations off to the left of the desk. He reached out and pulled on the bottom right corner. The entire wall opened.

Tony and Ziva were on their feet. They exchanged a quick glance then placed a hand on their weapons. Both appeared ready if there was an attack.

Behind the false wall that swung open to the left was a rather large safe. It was black and sat mid-wall level. Charles opened the safe with his key then dialed the combination on the secondary lock. No one knew about his hiding place.

"I wrote everything down in a ledger." Charles began as the safe creaked open. "I was more than curious. If this wasn't an experiment, I assumed it was a family member the Colonel was dealing with. He denied it at our last session when he told me he had to leave town on short notice. There was a problem in Germany he needed to take care of immediately. He thanked me for my patience and that he upon his return to DC would look me up."

Charles reached up to the top shelf and pulled out the black box. He set it down and returned to the shelf. A small rope was barely visible to his right. He yanked it hard and another black box came forward. Merrow turned and walked it to his desk.

"I asked Jasper how long he would be gone." Charles pulled out a secondary key from his trouser pocket. "He didn't know but to give me a time frame would be putting the wagon before the horse. I was worried he was going to do something rash."

"Did he tell you anything else?" Tony's eyes were fixed on the box.

"If he didn't come back, it wasn't his fault." He sighed. "The next day he was gone. Suicide. They only wish it were true."

Charles pulled out a thick stack of paper wrapped in velvet. The ribbon on the top would throw off someone who broke in looking for this information. He motioned for Tony to take the stack.

"All my notes are in there." Charles folded his arms. "Every idea I came up with I wrote down after the suicide."

Ziva frowned. "Why didn't you hand these over to the investigators?"

"They were looking into a suicide." Charles was appalled at the idea. "Not a homicide. I decided if anyone came looking into his homicide, I would turn over the notes."

Tony lifted the hefty stack and smiled. Ziva felt uneasy about this whole affair. Dr. Charles Merrow was not the type of psychologist she expected him to be. He paid attention and knew whom to trust when he met them. They left his office with the intention of handing these over to Abby to scan and then give it to Ducky for analysis.

**Chapter Twenty**

Gibbs and McGee arrived at the residence of Maxwell Dunkin, former aid to Colonel Shepard. At the age of forty now, Dunkin retired from the Army and became a successful businessman in electronics and securities. The suicide and bribery investigation took a toll on the young man since he worked closely with the Colonel every day.

And his house was rather impressive. Gibbs slammed the driver side door closed, getting an eerie feeling about this visit. McGee was on his PDA when got out of the car and closed the door gently. Gibbs eyed the front lawn and glanced around at the neighbors. No one it seemed to be home at the moment.

"Maxwell Dunkin is working from home, married at eighteen, divorced at twenty-one, no kids." McGee scrolled through the info. "His ex lives in Vermont now with a new husband. The divorce followed a year after the suicide of Colonel Shepard. Took its toll on his marriage."

They walked up to the front door. Gibbs rang the front door as McGee continued scrolling through background data. It was then he paused. Pulling his weapon, he pressed a hand to the front door. It opened easily.

"Tim." Gibbs said quickly.

McGee put away his PDA and pulled his weapon whispering. "There's twenty-six rooms total including seven bathrooms. Five bedrooms and an office are located on the second floor. Full basement with guest suite and game room. He could be anywhere."

"Let's go floor by floor, then basement." Gibbs led the way inside. "NCIS!"

They went room by room, clearing each one. After ten minutes, the first floor was cleared. Gibbs, followed by Tim, climbed the stairs towards the second floor. They cleared three bedrooms before finding Max Dunkin hunched over at his desk in the second floor office. Gibbs and McGee relaxed their stance, dropping their weapons.

A small handgun was visible in Dunkin's left hand, positioned as a hand would drop when someone apparently committed suicide. Blood pooled on the desk and fell over the edge staining the area just below the desk where Dunkin's feet rested. It appeared to be another suicide except for the 'R' smeared across the wall behind Dunkin. The room had no décor, just the desk and the combination fax/scanner/printer sitting on an empty bookshelf.

"No confusion as to who did it." Tim holstered his weapon.

Gibbs remained silent.

**Chapter Twenty-One**

Tony and Ziva were relieved they brought something back useful and not a dead body. McGee arrived later in the afternoon after local law enforcement took over the case.

"Sheriff insisted its theirs?" Ziva asked almost apologetically.

"Gibbs put in the official order to have it transferred since its part of the Reaper case." McGee shrugged dropping his gear behind his desk. "Feds will want it for themselves. What did you guys do?" He sat down in his chair.

Ziva jumped in before Tony could. "The psychologist seeing Colonel Shepard before his suicide mentioned he was asking as someone concerned for someone else. The individual had serious violent tendencies. He thought the Colonel was concerned for a family member so he continued seeing the Colonel to discuss the subject."

Tony glared at Ziva. "Abby scanned the notes. Dr. Duck has them now."

"Where's Gibbs?" Ziva noticed he was nowhere to be seen.

Tim looked up and around. "Probably in Vance's office making the official request to transfer jurisdiction of the Dunkin case."

TO BE CONTINUED…


	18. Episode 6: Broken Rules Part 3

**NCIS Season 9**

**Episode 9.6.3**

**BROKEN RULES**

**By: Lady JenDragon**

**Disclaimer: **NCIS and its characters belong to whoever created them. But my characters are mine.

**Author's Notes: **Don't be afraid to tell me what you think.

* * *

**BROKEN RULES**

**PART THREE**

**Chapter Twenty-Two**

Gibbs walked through the cemetery towards the grave he often visited these days. Mike Franks was his former mentor and friend. He could use his expertise at the moment. Lost in thought, he halted when he found Dr. Hature standing in front of Franks grave. At first it angered him. But his curiosity out weighed his anger as to how Dr. Hature knew Mike.

She laid the large bouquet of sunflowers and white mums at the base of the headstone and pressed a hand to her lips then placed her flat palm on the stone. Clearly there was some sentiment between them. Gibbs walked forward behind Hature.

"Odd finding you here, Dr. Hature." Gibbs said softly.

Hach jumped at the sound of his voice, her hand over her heart. "Agent Gibbs."

"You knew Mike Franks?" Gibbs stood next to her.

"Yes." Hach read the name again. "18 years with NCIS, it was hard not to run into him when I came for meetings and conferences in DC. Being the best in the field of forensics, I eventually meet all the agents working the big homicide cases. I was still a bit green to NCIS when we first met. He had a tough case, a double homicide. Mike liked running scenarios with the lab data before meeting with his suspects. He always knew how to ask the right questions before interrogation. I considered him a friend."

"More than friends?" Gibbs asked blatantly.

"No." Hach smirked then smiled. "Not that he didn't try more than once. He was one of the best agents I ever worked with. What brings you here?"

"Same as you." Gibbs knew he needed help. "Reaper struck again."

"Who this time?" Hach turned to Gibbs.

"Max Dunkin." Gibbs kept his eyes on Mike Franks headstone. "Former assistant to Colonel Shepard. Left his call sign on the wall behind the desk where Dunkin was displayed. Looked like suicide this time."

"We'll decide that." Hach went to walk back towards her vehicle.

Gibbs gripped her arm. "It's the locals until we get the transfer."

Hach frowned. "He would've been civilian." She cursed under her breath. "Which means the feds will want the case. It belongs to NCIS!"

"Army says different." He felt the same as she did.

Hach huffed. "They wouldn't have a damn thing if NCIS hadn't put it together in a pretty little package for their simple minds in the first place. It belongs with NCIS. This bastard's taken a few of ours too." She pulled out her phone and speed dialed a number.

"What are you doing?" Gibbs was impressed.

"Director Vance isn't the only one with connections at NCIS." Hach turned from him. "Trey, put me through to the White House please, Oval Office." She paused. "Yes, this is an urgent matter indeed. Our men in uniform are dying at home."

Hach left Gibbs at Mike Franks grave. That made him smile. He heard the 'Good Afternoon, Mr. President' as she stalked off towards her vehicle. Gibbs noted it was a dark brown Bentley with light tan leather interior.

**Chapter Twenty-Three**

Ducky stood with Tony, Ziva, and Tim in the Gibbs Den hoping Gibbs would return shortly from where ever he went. The lab was empty and no one had seen him in a while. They faced the plasma screen, the data organized in windows on the screen.

Gibbs and Hach arrived on the same elevator. She exited first, noting the group congregated together. She changed direction from heading to the lab and followed Gibbs over to them.

"Hey boss, Vance is looking for you." Tony pointed up.

"I already found him." Gibbs looked up towards MTAC where Vance stood on the middle landing of the stairs.

Vance looked at Hach then smirked quickly and said solemnly. "Dunkin's ours." He turned and climbed the stairs back to his office.

Everyone but Gibbs and Hach were stunned.

"That's got to be a record." Tim frowned then looked over to Gibbs. "The feds released him already?"

Gibbs shrugged. "Don't look at me, she did it." He pointed to Hature.

Tony folded his arms impressed. "Who'd you call?"

"The President of the United States." Hach smiled. "We're good friends."

Ziva and Ducky were impressed.

"I've completed my analysis of the photos and the notes from Dr. Merrow." Everyone focused on Ducky. "What we have is a very angry individual. Not at the men he's killed in the past. But at Colonel Shepard. He holds him responsible for what's happened to him."

"Being discovered?" Ziva folded her arms.

"No." Ducky shook his head. "Indeed I wish it were that simple. There's a complex relationship he has with the Colonel. If you said they worked together, I doubt it. I think he was a mentor to this man. Somewhere along the way, he lost faith in his mentor. To kill Jasper Shepard in this violent manner was a way to let go of that relationship."

"Whatever it was, was over seas." Tony reminded Ducky. "A majority of the murders committed were abroad."

"Yes, that's because he's more comfortable away from American soil." Ducky looked through the data. "But he's now changed that coming to DC and leaving Colonel Shepard for us to find. He's announced his arrival."

Hach felt cold suddenly. "So, the Colonel was chasing this man, knowing he could become a target himself?"

Ducky nodded. "Shepard probably felt responsible for him."

"So how do we find him now?" Gibbs looked to Ducky.

"Give him something to focus on." Ducky was apprehensive. "Clearly he knows NCIS is working the case. He seems bent that only we have this case and no other agency."

Tony found that disturbing. "Who's he after now?"

Ziva added. "No one here worked with Colonel Shepard."

"He changed his target." Ducky could offer no other information. "Whoever it is, we have to find them before the Reaper does."

Tim frowned. "That's a needle in a haystack."

Hach, Gibbs, and Ducky stayed silent.

**Chapter Twenty-Four**

An hour after the gathering at Gibbs' office, Hach got the bright idea of trying to look for something that the government would say did not exist. Still, she would need an extra pair of hands. The others were sitting at their desks coming through files that the Army released, much of it blacked out for classified reasons. No one mentioned they already possessed the documents without the extra strikeouts.

Hach arrived to find McGee looking for the IP address from the email that was sent to him. He was backtracking the signal. Getting tossed around the globe would take time to weed out the noise. They did not have that kind of time to waste on a pointless avenue.

"Agent McGee." Hach smirked. "I require your assistance."

Tim looked up at her confused. "You need my help."

Gibbs at his desk, looked over.

"Well, yes." She bent forward. "And it's very bad."

"Are we hacking into someone's computer?" Tim was intrigued he was asked to aid Hach.

"The Pentagon actually." Hach brought a chair over to his desk. "It'll take two people to get through. But first." She pulled out a flash drive and rolled keyboard. Unrolling the keyboard, she connected both to his computer.

McGee adjusted his chair to give her space to work. "What's that?"

"Wrath of Hach." She smiled sitting down next to McGee. "It's a computer virus I designed back when I was eleven. Helped me crack the Harvard's main server. It's undergone a few tweaks since then."

"They'll trace it back here." Tim warned. "They don't like it when…"

"Not this time." Hach smiled. "It's designed to leave no trace behind."

"Oh…" Tim was highly impressed. "Mad."

"Indeed." And the fun began.

Tim and Hach worked side-by-side. Neither Tim nor Hach noticed they were being watched by Tony, Ziva and Gibbs dumbfounded by their spontaneous nerd moment. Breaking into the Pentagon was a very large no-no. And to do it so openly, well, was a highly reprimandable crime at NCIS. However, Gibbs saw no reason to stop the session. Hach appeared to know what she was doing and Tim was eager to help her.

"Prepare yourself." Hach warned. "When it comes down, we'll only have seconds to crack it and get through."

"Why not go through proper channels?" Tony asked leaning back in his chair.

"No fun in that." Hach never took her eyes off the screen. "And it takes too damn long to give you 'we don't have it' response."

"What are we looking for?" Tim found the experience fascinating.

"I'll know it when I get there." Hach knew time was not on their side. "I just need you to wing me so I can get out before they detect the breach. This is going to be fast." She paused. "3…2…1. Go!"

Tim concentrated so hard he could barely keep up with the screen and his fingers flew across the keyboard. Hach's seemed to be typing faster than him and out running his fingers. Whatever she was doing, she knew what she wanted from the files. He barely took a breath as the security became increasingly tight. But Hach seemed to find what she was after and ducked back out before the breach would alert Pentagon Security.

"That. Was. Amazing!" Overcome with emotion, Tim hugged Hach at that moment.

Hach looked horrified. "Get off me."

He quickly let Hach go, unable to get over the rush. Tim leaned back in his chair and pushed his head back until it rested on top of the chair.

Tony appeared conflicted but also disgusted. "I think McHack's just had a gizmo-gasm."

"At least he can get them." Hach got up then looked to Agent Gibbs. "Once, I've decrypted the file, I'll let you know what I find."

Tony appeared insulted but bit back his retort. Ziva laughed out loud behind her desk. Tony glared at her but she kept on laughing into her hands. Gibbs lowered his head smiling.

**Chapter Twenty-Five**

An hour later, Hach returned with the file decrypted. Tim recovered from his gizmo-gasm with Abby standing beside him for support. Ziva and Tony stood together behind Gibbs who had front row at the plasma. Hach sat at McGee's desk transferring the data.

"You broke into the Pentagon for an operations file?" Gibbs knew what the title said even before it translated.

"More like a targeted file, yes." Hach whizzed her fingers and the words decrypted before them. "This is Operation Reaper. The experiment took place in the Philippines twenty some odd years ago. The men listed as victims of the Reaper would've been into their service careers six to ten years by then."

Abby moved closer. "What was the experiment?"

"Human cloning and growth acceleration." Hach knew the details would not matter to Gibbs. "However, none of the experiments were successful for growth acceleration."

"But the human cloning?" Abby looked to Hach. "That's not possible."

"It's outlawed in the U.S. to try it." Hach returned Abby's fascinated stare. "Not in the Philippines."

"So, the Reaper is one of these experiments?" Tony asked, his arms folded studying the screen.

"According to the files, the men on the Reaper's victims list provided sperm for the experiment." Hach brought up the list of names. "They were considered the best of the best. Why not clone more of them to make more good soldiers?"

"Sounds bogus." Tim said finally. "George Lucas did that in…"

Tony finished for him. "Star Wars Attack of the Clones."

Hach and Gibbs stared at Tony.

He cringed under the gaze. "Sorry, boss."

"And it was…bogus." Hach brought up a photo of a short balding man with black hair and black eyes. "This is Dr. Zigaldo, chief medical doctor over seeing the project. He falsified the data proclaiming he created clones using the donated sperm. All he did was inject said sperm into donated eggs and grow children. Hence the reason why the project was shut down after three years. Colonel Shepard discovered the deceit and turned Dr. Zigaldo in."

"What happened to the kids produced from this experiment?" Gibbs glanced over at Hach.

"Put into orphanages according to a letter at the end of the file." She leaned closer to the screen. "I found references that indicates that some of them were terminated."

A photo of thirty or so children popped on screen.

"All the little fake clones." Tony refrained from making a joke.

"Can we track them down?" Abby looked to Gibbs.

Hach shook her head. "There were no names provided in any of the records during the three-year period. It is considered that the children were refrained from entering the United States."

Tony stepped forward. "If the Reaper's one of these kids, explains why he's not comfortable on American soil."

"But he thinks he belongs on American soil." Gibbs said softly.

Hach looked up. "I have DNA profiles for all of the children. I get a large enough sample from the Reaper, I have something to compare it to."

That gave Gibbs only slight comfort.

But it gave Hach an idea. However, she did not think it would sit well with Agent Gibbs. Still, if the operation was pulled off properly, the Reaper would show himself. But would they be able to catch him without someone getting hurt? She tagged the Director's office finding his assistant and him gone for the day. It could wait till tomorrow.

**Chapter Twenty-Six**

Hach left the office with the intent on returning to her temporary home for the evening. It was a large rental with a doorman and floor security. If someone attempted to get into the building, she would find out about it. She stayed there specifically because of the level of security provided. She was a paranoid forensic scientist after all.

"When you get, please call me." Hach left the message on Director Vance's voicemail to his cellphone.

The cab dropped her off at Benny's Bar & Grill. The brightly lit restaurant was two blocks down from her residence building so she decided to grab a quick meal and take it with her. Carrying the take-out bag along with her shoulder bag with her laptop, she crossed the street staying in the lights. The night air was chilly and she forgot to wear another sweater beneath her coat. She felt the cold creeping in.

Passing the alley, she found nothing out of place. Suddenly she was jerked backwards off her feet. A hand came over her mouth, an arm around her waist pulling her towards the alley. Hach glanced at the dark alley. The glass on the ground told her the lights were broken to hide the identity of the perp.

Was he going to kill her here?

Hach flailed her arms and legs but found the man quite powerful. He was much taller than her, at least six-three. His clothes were black everything; ski-mask, shirt, pants, and boots. There were no distinguishing marks she could find on skin she could see. He had no issues lifting her small frame off the ground.

"Hey!" Came the call from Greg, the doorman.

Another man ran out from the building behind Greg. She recognized him as Bert, the overnight security guard for the lobby. Hach reached up and caught the ski-mask. It came off freely. Suddenly she was free and falling to the sidewalk. The perp ran into the alley.

"Dr. Hature!" Greg reached her first. "You okay?"

"Yeah." She looked down at her take-out trampled under foot and sighed. "I'll be all right."

She sighed deeply realizing she had to call Agent Gibbs now.

**Chapter Twenty-Seven**

Hach sat on her bed as Ducky checked her vitals. Gibbs paced back and forth while he was on the phone with Director Vance giving his report of the attempted attack. Greg and Bert from downstairs were being questioned by McGee and DiNozzo. Ziva collected the mask to have Abby analyze it tonight.

"I told you, I'm fine, doctor." She disliked being the center of attention.

And she disliked people being in her space. Though it was a large studio, the luxury kitchen occupied the northwest corner, the bathroom and storage occupied the northeast corner, the bedroom area to the southeast and the living area to the southwest corner. It was efficient and fulfilled her needs for a temporary home. She rarely cooked these days since her friends were far away in Hawaii. She hated when people, who were more like strangers, came over unannounced. Since she was attacked outside her building, her place became headquarters until they were done with their initial investigation.

"I know you are." Ducky winked. "It's more for him than you."

Hach lifted an eyebrow at the gesture. "Hardly important to make Agent Gibbs feel better. I never got a look at my attacker. He grabbed me from behind and that's where he stayed."

"Still, to be walking alone at night." Ducky put his tools away.

"I kept to the busy streets and walked next to the street while avoiding dark alleys." Hach rolled her eyes. "I know the drill."

Ducky smiled knowing she was insulted. "You don't have a home here in DC?"

"No, since I'm here only temporarily." Hach rolled down her sleeves. "My new home is just outside the base at Norfolk."

"Why did you leave Hawaii?" Ducky looked at Jethro getting off the phone. "DC's a far cry from the sun and warmth of the islands."

"Island life never appealed to me but it was the only job opening at that time." Hach never really preferred it but it was the opening she wanted just not the location. "However, recently, certain family connections required I be closer and mainland."

"Ah." Ducky looked to Jethro. "Vitals look good. No injuries as far as I can tell."

Hach narrowed her eyes at Agent Gibbs. "I told you I was fine."

Gibbs ignored her. "Did he say anything to you?"

"No." Hach shook her head. "There wasn't time once Greg and Bert came running. It was only a manner of seconds."

Tony and McGee walked into the studio at that moment. Tony paused admiring the classy digs then walked towards the bedroom area where Ducky, Hach, and Gibbs were congregated. Tim glanced around disappointed there were no serious computers here. For a woman who created technology and used it, she had nothing in her place.

"Only description we got from Greg and Bert downstairs was light skinned, red-haired, tall guy." Tony flipped a page in his notepad. "They were more focused on Dr. Hature than the perp."

Tim added. "Bert said the guy ran across the street toward Hach with the intention of pulling her into the alley. All he thought was 'rape' and hauled out of the building."

Hach glanced at her fingernails. "Bert has four sisters." Damn, she missed him. No skin cells here to try analyzing for DNA. Perhaps the attacker intended it this way.

Tony looked at Hach. "Ziva's with Abby now looking at the ski-mask. Hopefully, we'll find something useful."

Gibbs wondered why Dr. Hature had been targeted but kept his suspicions silent. It had to the Reaper who sought her out and attempted to take her on a bust street. He planned the approach perfectly. If the doorman had gone shift, no one would have come to her aid or known she was even gone until the following day.

**Chapter Twenty-Eight**

Abby slept on the floor waiting for her equipment to complete the analysis. Gibbs walked into the darkened lab with a Caf-Pow in one hand and a coffee in the other. He smiled at Abby tucked under a blanket lying on top of a sleeping bag, her head on Bert, her Hippo, and wearing her lab coat.

Gibbs noted the equipment was running. The time on the display was counting down from 139 minutes. That gave him plenty of time to get something done in the mean time. He decided to let her sleep, placing the Caf-Pow in the fridge then headed back out.

Abby woke two hours later to the beeping of her equipment indicating results. She groggily got to her feet and padded over to the equipment wearing her skull pajamas and black socks. Her shoes were left under her desk.

She pulled the results off the printout and read them finding nothing awry with the chemistry. Checking around, she found nothing a miss. Her eyes narrowed feeling the Gibbs vibe. He had been here. Glancing to her left, she spotted the Caf-Pow.

"I knew it!" Abby pressed her lips together happily.

**Chapter Twenty-Nine**

Ziva sat at her desk zipping through several databases running searches on the match Abby got from skin cells and several hairs left behind in the ski-mask. The news made Gibbs happy this morning. But so far, nothing came up on the identity.

"Maybe he's not in the system." She said quietly.

"Nothing from AFIS." Tony read off his computer.

"I got nothing from Interpol." Tim called out from his computer. "It's like he doesn't exist."

Hach walked into the office. "Well, technically he's not supposed to exist. I got a match to one of the kids from the Operation Reaper." She walked over to the plasma and picked up the remote. Three clicks later, the photo of the kids displayed once again. "He's the bottom right."

"Tall kid." Tony got up from his desk then his phone rang.

"He's also Colonel Shepard's son." Hach brought up the DNA results. "On a hunch I ran a comparison of their results. It clearly shows he is the father."

Tony put the phone down just as Gibbs walked into the office with his coffee. "Local LEO's just found Dr. Merrow in his office. Suicide with a 'R' left on the wall in blood."

Gibbs stopped and turned around. "Let's go."

Ziva, Tim and Tony picked up their gear and followed Gibbs out of the office heading towards the elevators. Hach stood there watching them leave.

"Are their mornings always so hectic?" Hach decided to head to lab to see if there was something else she could work on in the meantime.

**Chapter Thirty**

By the time they reached the office in the early afternoon, nothing new was discovered about the Reaper. The local LEO's were more than willing to relinquish the crime scene to NCIS. One thing they did know. He was cleaning up every loose end Colonel Shepard created.

Tim sat down at his desk, dropping his bag and removing his weapon. He opened the desk drawer and placed the weapon inside closing it again. Bringing up his computer, he logged in to find an email from Dr. Hature. In it he found a list of recently moved people from foreign countries namely: Japan, Philippines, and Germany.

"Guess I don't have as much as I thought." Tim smiled pleasantly surprised.

He frowned finding it odd that Hach was already at this step. Did she think like an agent all the time? He always thought she was a lab and tech person. Gibbs strode in at that moment sporting a fresh coffee.

"McGee, get me a list of people who recently moved within the last three months…make it six months from the countries the Reaper's had previously."

"Got it." He nodded zapping the list to the plasma.

Gibbs stopped when the list popped up on the screen. "That was fast."

"Yeah." McGee nodded. "Hach figured it out first and got the list together for us. Guess she's gunning for this guy since he tried to take her out."

"I would too." Tony said in a tiny voice. "Helpful little lab person, she is."

Ziva got to her feet. "There's over two hundred names and addresses."

"Wittle the list down by removing all persons with hair color other than red." Gibbs knew it was going to be a long day.

McGee was in the process of acquiring driver's license photos for the list to do just that. "Give me a few to narrow…" Tim realized there was a secondary list attached to Hach's email and clicked it open. "God, she's good."

Gibbs glanced at McGee. "What now?"

Tim looked up. "Ah, Hach also attached a list of those with red-hair matching the description. There's six names that pop. One is seventy-four from Ireland."

"Could be a cover." Gibbs turned to his team. "DiNozzo, Ziva, take the first three. McGee with me on the last."

McGee, Tony, and Ziva gathered their field bags, weapons and headed out after Gibbs.

**Chapter Thirty-One**

The first two addresses were a waste of time. The first man, William MacDuggle, was quite put out NCIS bothered to look them up. At fifty, he was set in working as a mechanic at the shop ten blocks down with a thick Scottish accent. It was clear he preferred Tony over Ziva when they arrived to conduct the interview. It freaked Tony out so Ziva most of the talking.

The second was a young man, Nathan Collins, from Ireland living with his parents in the one bedroom apartment on the eighth floor in the dive that charged way too much rent on unsuspecting immigrants. Mr. Collins was going to school on a student visa with the intention of filing for residency. His parents traveled over after he arrived with the intention to stay. He showed no outward tendencies of committing murder and his class schedule checked out.

"We should keep him on the list in case the next guy doesn't pan out." Ziva said finally. "He could be hiding behind the mask of fresh young student."

Tony parked the car next to the curb down the street from third address. He shut the engine off eyeing a large man walking down the street with red-hair, short-cut beard, black beanie, brown leather jacket, and black slacks. His boots were dark black and looked well worn. His face was expressionless and his eyes sweeping the street every other step.

"I'd say this is our suspect." Tony leaned forward to look towards the sky.

Ziva looked towards the grocery store three doors down from where they parked. "He's certainly a good candidate. Where's Gibbs and McGee?"

"They're already done with their list. Last guy hasn't been seen since he arrived. Bot mixed up with drug dealers and his neighbors suspect he's been on the run." Tony checked his phone then sent McGee a text they found their potential suspect. "They're headed over."

"He's going into the address we have." Ziva double-checked the list. "Basement dweller."

The man took two steps up the stairs into the building. He paused to check out the window before disappearing inside. Gregory McClintok was a shady character even though his description had him listed as five-eleven. The man was more than six-three.

Tony opened his door. "Gives him plenty of space to do what he needs to do."

Ziva slammed her door. "List claims he's sixty and single." She rolled her eyes. "Let's go find out why he looks good for an old guy."

Tony paused insulted. "Sixty's not old. Look at Gibbs."

Ziva looked shocked. "Gibbs isn't sixty."

"Oh yeah." Tony smiled then narrowed his eyes and looked at Ziva. "You know how old our fearless leader is?"

Ziva opened her mouth to speak then shut it again. "No, of course not!" She shook her head with her own suspicions. "Not that it matters." She walked ahead of Tony.

"Oh, if you know…" Tony got excited. "You'd better tell me!"

Ziva walked faster with the intention of reaching the building first and to avoid the question.

**Chapter Thirty-Two**

Ziva and Tony walked up to the apartment door labeled B-3. The apartment was close to the rear of the building and the lights here were off. The door to the alley behind the building was chained with three large locks on it to prevent suspicious activities. Tony believed this was a serious fire safety issue but kept the opinion to himself. With his hand on his weapon, he leaned against the door to the left then nodded towards his partner. Ziva prepared to knock on the door.

Ziva pounded on the door. There was some shuffling behind the door. Moments passed before the locks were disengaged and the door creaked open slowly. The large red-haired man peered through the crack he opened to look at Ziva.

"Afternoon, Mr. Gregory McClintok." Ziva smiled slightly. "Agents David and DiNozzo with NCIS. We'd like to ask you a couple of questions…"

The door whipped open and the Ziva found herself facing the wall of the man called Gregory McClintok who violently shoved her into the wall across the way. He lifted his arm and nearly got DiNozzo who ducked and rolled. Out maneuvered, DiNozzo found himself flying down the hall towards the front entrance. Landing hard, he rolled and got back on his feet.

Turning, he found the suspect bursting through the back door. The chain and locks were fake, designed to fool anyone from using the door. Ziva already recovered and gave chase. Tony hated being knocked around. He out the call in for back-up, citing the direction of chase and suspect description then followed in pursuit. Ziva could not handle this man in hand-to-hand.

Ziva ran with but found the suspect was in good condition. He clearly kept himself in fit condition, a sign of military training in her mind. Gregory McClintok never joined a military outfit according to the record she read when they pulled up to the curb. This had to be the Reaper.

She barely spied him rounding the corner ahead. A car entering the alleyway screeched to a halt just before hitting the guy but he managed to jump straight up. Landing hard on the hood, he leaped over the car and continued running. That gave Ziva time to catch up.

Tony was catching up fast. Ziva just made it across the street and into the alleyway between the bridal shop and caterer. He dodged a cab and a sedan with a frightened woman and two kids in the backseat. He gave little thought except to his task.

Rounding the corner in the alley, he found Ziva running after Red into a dead end. They had him now! The suspect skidded to a halt in front of the fence spanning across the alley. He changed direction and went to jump up to catch the fire escape. Ziva skidded to a halt, pulling her weapon.

"NCIS!" She shouted. "Halt!

Gregory eyed Ziva and Tony catching them up. DiNozzo pulled his weapon and held it on the guy, closely watching him for any twitch. He hated the set up. The guy brought them here on purpose. He could feel it.

"You're under arrest for suspicion of murder!" Ziva announced. "Down on the ground!"

Tony felt something odd about this guy. "Now!"

Gregory put up his hands and smiled. In his right hand was a ring on the end of his pinky finger. He moved his thumb and slid it slowly across the black enamel.

Suddenly the building on either side of him exploded. Ziva cringed when the bricks, mortar, glass, and wood disintegrated, covering her head. He saw the dual concussion waves with Ziva caught in between. Tony rushed forward thinking only of reaching Ziva before she was hit. Everything felt in slow motion as his legs cried out carrying out his commands. Tony reached out with his hand outstretched towards Ziva.

When the smoke and debris cleared, Tony DiNozzo lay on top of Ziva David, his face next to hers unconscious. His hand was beneath her head while the other gripped his Sig. Her hands were sprawled out, her Sig clutched in her right. His suit jacket was signed with debris covering them both.

Gibbs and McGee arrived in the alley just as the blast erupted from the buildings. Neither saw the red-haired man jump the fence and run off. He arrived first to find DiNozzo and Ziva unconscious. He dropped to his knees and checked for pulses.

"Oh god, Tony!" McGee nearly skidded to halt beside Gibbs.

Gibbs rolled DiNozzo off Ziva finding they were both alive. Sirens echoed off in the distance as McGee called in the NCIS calvary and ambulances for his teammates.

**Chapter Thirty-Two**

Gibbs waited with McGee in the waiting room at the hospital. Abby and Ducky arrived together, Abby running to Tim for comfort. Tears streamed from her eyes running her black mascara. Hach arrived a short time later with the intention of figuring out what their exact conditions were at the moment. The team all turned when she arrived in the waiting room.

"I came as soon I heard." Hach went to Dr. Mallard thinking the others would be less welcoming. "How are they?"

"No word yet." Ducky spoke softly standing near McGee and Abby.

Then Director Vance emerged from talking with the doctors, pushing through the double doors of the emergency room. He appeared grim but not affected by the outcome.

"Agents DiNozzo and David will survive." Vance eyed Dr. Hature. "DiNozzo received the worst of the injuries, nothing critical at the moment. They've rushed him into surgery now to repair the damage from the debris he suffered protecting Agent David. They're expected to make a full recovery. Gibbs, what about the suspect?"

Gibbs started. "We found Gregory McClintok in the bathroom tub."

Ducky interjected. "He's been dead for at least three months judging from the amount of decay."

Gibbs did not mind the interruption. "He was waiting for us." Gibbs knew from the condition of the apartment NCIS swept clean this evening. "He left all the passports he used previously, some foreign currency, even photos of his targets. He wanted us to know who he is. He planned to take some of us out before he made a break."

Hach stood in silent fury. "Since he missed with me, he went after Gibbs' team."

"We'll get this guy." Vance looked at every face one at a time. "In the mean time, we put out Bolo's and get this guy's face everywhere. If he's planning on bolting, he'll have his next step mapped out already."

Gibbs said nothing, choosing to remain silent at the moment. There was fury in his eyes. Ducky could tell Gibbs wanted blood and the Reaper would probably not survive their next meeting. Hach also appeared rather insulted that NCIS suffered injuries in trying to apprehend the suspect known only as Gregory McClintok, the Reaper.

Vance turned to Hach. "Dr. Hature, they could use you in surgery."

Hach nodded and walked forward to pass the Director. He understood the expression on her face and reached out, grabbing her arm. She stopped to look at him with eyes half open. Her wrath was aroused.

"Whatever you want to do." Vance looked at Hach directly. "Save it for when we catch him."

"Catching wasn't even on my mind." Hach yanked her arm free and walk towards the double doors.

"What's that about?" Gibbs asked since her mood seemed to match his.

Vance turned to watch Hach disappear through the double doors.

"Last time someone incurred the wrath of Dr. Hature died in a building collapse." He noted no on found this disturbing. "We haven't been able to prove she rigged the building to go down. All the evidence was destroyed in the collapse."

"You suspect Dr. Hature of committing something this extreme?" Ducky was surprised.

Vance turned back to Gibbs' team. "There's a lot you don't know about Dr. Hature. One thing I've been warned about. Don't ever incur the Wrath of Hature." He placed a toothpick between his teeth. "I'm starting to believe it."

Gibbs smirked at the idea.


	19. Episode 7: Skating Dead Part 1

**NCIS Season 9**

**Episode 9.6.1**

**SKATING DEAD**

**By: Lady JenDragon**

**Disclaimer: **NCIS ain't mine, I'm over it.

**Author's Notes: **Here you go, something to consider.

* * *

**SKATING DEAD**

**PART ONE**

**Chapter One**

A portly man walked into the back of the building before sun up bundled in a thick coat, hat, and gloves with black insulated overalls and rubber black boots. Pressing the code to the security to shut it off, he dropped the flap back over the keypad. He appeared unphased by the cold as he traveled through the darkness.

Once inside he did not bother to take off his coat, hat or gloves. He needed them in here too. He loved his simple job but sometimes he just wanted a day off. Today was not one of them. He walked past the electrical main, pausing to flip the final three into the 'on' position.

"That should bring up the lights."

A few more steps and he opened the doors into the ice rink, the lights barely beginning to glow. It would take them a few minutes to warm up and brighten the ice. The hockey players and figure skaters paying for ice time would be arriving shortly. He had approximately forty-five minutes before the first of them would arrive for morning lessons.

It was a job. These days, he was happy just to have a job. Yeah, the economy was bad but he could not fathom doing something else. He preferred the hockey teams over the figure skaters but everyone had their dreams. He always wanted to go to the Winter Olympics just to watch the hockey games.

He marched back and climbed into the seat and clicked the seatbelt into position. Turning the key in the ignition, he patiently waited for the machine to rumble a bit in idle. She was temperamental when she did not get the proper warm up. The minute seemed to take forever but the gauges finally showed 'warm' mode. He clicked the emergency brake off and hit the small pedal to get her going.

Slowly, the Zambonee moved over the outside rails for the sideboards and onto the ice. His eyes looked up at that moment to find something on the ice covered in white. That was unusual. Pete was usually the last one out at night before setting the alarm. Agitated, he slid to a halt and applied the brake once more. He jumped down from the seat and walked across the ice to the white obstacle in the center ice.

As he got closer, he found it was no obstacle. It had legs, arms, and skates on. And she was dead, her open eyes staring up at the ceiling. Shocked, he stumbled backwards until he tripped over his feet. Quickly getting up, he slid around until he could gain traction to stand up.

He had to call someone to come.

**Chapter Two**

Tim McGee carried the equipment himself today. Since Tony remained in hospital following the explosion while chasing the Reaper, he had to pick up the slack. Ziva would return to duties on Monday but would be restricted to office and light duties until she acclimated back to the normal workload. There was talk of allowing Agent DiNozzo to go home to strict bed rest for another solid week.

Ducky offered to help him with the equipment in Tony and Ziva's absence but he refused on the account that Gibbs would frown upon him remotely requiring help. They were not field agents at NCIS. These were his duties. Palmer and Ducky decided to walk into the building ahead of him as he struggled. But he came with a plan in case they acquired a new case while his teammates were gone. He took out the folding cart with wheels. Setting the equipment in a stack, Tim anchored the boxes down with a mess cover used for hitched cargo racks. Satisfied he had everything secured, he walked towards the entrance lugging the portable dolly behind him.

"It's going to be a long day." Tim moaned to himself.

Lost in his own world, McGee failed to notice Dr. Hature walk up behind him wearing an NCIS field suit similar to the ones worn by Palmer and Dr. Mallard. She smiled walking behind him. His set up appeared to be well thought out.

"It'll be longer if you stop acting like you're the only one here to work, Agent McGee."

Tim stopped to look over his shoulder. "Dr. Hature!" He smiled then sighed and corrected himself. "Hach. What are you doing here?"

"Dr. Mallard suggested I aid you in the field while the remainder of your team was down two people." Hach shrugged.

"Agent Gibbs didn't ask you?" Tim asked cautiously.

"No." Hach frowned at the idea of Agent Gibbs asking her for anything. "Abby is the one he usually goes to for anything forensic related. Since my lab isn't yet complete at Norfolk, I figured why not. Miss Sciuto has had no recent luck nailing Perfecto so her presence has made me available. If it was Agent DiNozzo, I might've said 'no'."

Tim chuckled. "You'll have to go easy on him for a little while." He waited for Hach to walk beside him. "He did take the brunt of the explosion to protect Ziva."

"A noble heart." Hach sighed. "But then he behaves like a petulant child and destroys my entire perception of him. Are they dating outside work?"

Tim looked shocked. "No!" Then lowered his voice. "What makes you say that?"

Hach and Tim entered the building side by side, guided by the building security guards towards the crime scene. She knew Agent Gibbs, Dr. Mallard, and his assistant, Mr. Jimmy Palmer were already processing the scene. Dr. Mallard insisted she called him Ducky, however, she refrained from using such informal names for people she hardly knew.

"I detect a certain amount of tension between them." Hach's observations were not based on conjecture. "I've seen such tensions between co-workers before. Statistics show that a majority of work-related relationships don't work out."

Tim appeared alarmed as they came upon the scene in the center ice. "How did it work out for your co-workers?"

"They're now married with three children." Hach frowned at the change in her dynamic with Agent McGee. "She quit her job to stay home with the children. A pity, her skills were extremely useful in the lab."

Hach realized she began to change once she arrived to work with Miss Sciuto so Abby could aid the FBI on the Perfecto Case. The annoyingly crafty serial killer plaguing the country and causing her to remain in temporary settings in both home and work for the time being. Hach disliked temporary settings for any period over a week.

Tim lifted his chin then nodded. "Sometimes it just works."

Since her arrival a few weeks back, Agent McGee and she appeared to have much in common though she had no personal interest in the agent. Normally she avoided such interpersonal relationships with NCIS agents as a general rule of thumb however, Timothy McGee was unlike his boss and Agent DiNozzo. He was personable with a kindness to his countenance.

"Sometimes." Hach walked ahead of him into the ice rink with the camera in her hands. "I'll take the photos."

Tim smiled after Hach then got to work setting out the equipment they were going to need in order to collect samples. He noted Ducky, Jimmy and Gibbs were standing in a loose group looking down at the dead. He walked closer noting the dark hair sprawled out on the ice dressed in white and wearing figure skates.

**Chapter Three**

Ducky stood with Palmer surveying the crime scene. Jethro was next to the victim looking for any outward signs of bruising or defensive wounds. There were none seen from his vantage point. Jimmy hesitated then got to work. He found the body thermometer and went to take the temperature.

"It's a shame really." Ducky admired the athletic form of the dead woman who was clearly a figure skater.

Hach and Tim McGee arrived with the equipment for processing the scene. She walked up to Ducky and halted. The dark hair, light complexion, the figure skates on her feet. It was odd to see the woman laying on the ice instead of skating over it.

"Agreed to lose one so talented." Hach shook her head. "This is Desdemona Ryker."

Tim choked at the name. "The Desdemona Ryker?"

Ducky looked from Hach to McGee. "You know her?"

Hach frowned at Dr. Mallard. "Yes." Surprised that he did not know who she was. "She represents, well…represented, the United States and the Navy, doctor. She claimed silver at Nationals last year. Much to everyone's shock and surprise."

Tim came up beside Hach. "And won Bronze at Worlds following that." He was in awe. "Had a perfect performance with one bobble on the Triple Loop." He paused. "Uh, at least that's what I heard. My sister, Sarah, was thrilled she nailed the triple axel." Tim paused at the meaning of the loss. "I can't believe she's dead."

"McGee." Came Gibbs firm voice.

"Sorry, boss." Tim shook his head in disbelief. "I'm just shocked."

Gibbs stood up indicating to the body. "You want me to leave you two alone?"

Tim did not look at Gibbs clearly ashamed of his knowing about Desdemona Ryker. Ducky stiffened giving Jethro a stern look. Palmer paused unsure what to do. Hach felt the insult was not to be taken lightly.

"That was uncalled for, Agent Gibbs." Hach spoke up, glaring towards the senior agent. "Figure skating is a perfectly noble sport. If he watches it with his sister, it is not for you to judge."

"I want him to process the scene." Gibbs suddenly felt alone among his team.

It was odd these last two weeks with Tony and Ziva gone making it all the harder to track down where the Reaper might have gone. Perhaps he was being a bit hard on Tim. He was working extra long hours this week to make up the two-person loss on the team. Dr. Hature helped where she could but it was clear her efforts were not for the purpose of solving crimes.

"And we will." Hach turned towards McGee. "There's nothing wrong with taking a moment to show some respect for the dead."

Hach walked over and patted Tim on the shoulder. She quietly urged him to pull himself together and they would take care of her now. Gibbs watched the exchange with mild curiosity that the doctor and McGee took a liking to one another. Ducky watched Gibbs for several moments wondering what he was thinking about.

Tim mumbled. "Sarah's really going to be so disappointed this year."

Ducky moved to the body to begin his preliminary assessment. Squatting down beside the small woman, her eyes staring up towards the ceiling, he found nothing out of the ordinary. There was nothing to indicate a fight or some kind of physical contact with her attacker. There were no outward signs of rape or that someone tried to cover up a like crime.

"Her temperature's 48-degrees." Palmer read the thermometer.

"We'll have to take into account the fact she was on ice, Mr. Palmer." Ducky shook his head. "I don't see any bruising or pooling."

Gibbs joined him. "I don't see much blood either."

"Killed elsewhere and deposited out here on the ice to be found by the person opening up, I'd say." Ducky asked getting a nod from Gibbs he too thought the same thing. "However, I think I can say with some certainty that the actual crime scene is not far away."

Gibbs looked across the ice. Prior to Tim arriving with Hach, he took to looking at the ice with careful eyes. If there were any signs of an altercation, he would photograph the floor before the scene was marred by NCIS. He had a camera with him since Tony and Ziva were absent.

With gloved hands, Ducky pushed the costume down from the neck. "Well." The gash was unmistakable. "There's a very wide, deep gash from one end to the other. Almost severed the head in half. I'd say you were surprised by your death, Miss Ryker."

"Happened fast." Gibbs agreed. "There's going to be a lot of blood where it happened."

"I'd start in the locker room." Ducky stood up. "Figure skater's often change there and if there was a scuffle, you might find something there."

Gibbs got to his feet annoyed. "You think I was hard on Tim?"

Ducky paused. "He's been working for three people this past two weeks chasing down tips on the Reaper." He looked at Jethro over his glasses. "I haven't seen Agent McGee leave NCIS in four days. Abby mentioned he's been sleeping in her lab just to save time driving home. You could cut him a little slack, Jethro. He's concerned over his teammates still recovering and he's had no time to go see them."

Gibbs nodded. "Yeah."

**Chapter Four**

Hach took it upon herself to begun the search for the crime scene breaking off from Agent McGee. She wore the NCIS field suit carrying a hand held light and a single bottle of liquid with her. Murder was a difficult thing to comprehend for some. She had more than eighteen years dealing with why humans killed other humans. It was the hunt that gave her the thrill of discovery. Making those guilty pay for their crimes they tried to hide.

Taking Ducky's advice to heart, she entered the women's locker room. Hach found the usual assortment of large and small lockers, some with locks on them, many without locks. Few people trusted a locker room that appeared dingy and rusted. Many skaters would bring their own equipment and such with them. None would leave anything behind.

Walking towards the open shower area, Hach did a quick scan with her eyes. The drain appeared unused and bone dry. Still, she decided to eliminate each possibility popping into mind one at a time. If the murder did occur here, it would be in her best interest to take the time necessary. Spraying over the entire shower area, Hach decided it

Tim McGee walked into the women's locker room at that moment. "There you are."

"Yes." Hach did not bother to look up. "You found me. Catch the lights, please."

Tim walked back over to the entrance propped open by a single wooden triangle. He took that moment to yawn widely. Hach paused to eye McGee. Shaking her head, she said nothing and focused on her task. There was nothing to be done at this juncture, she reasoned. Agent McGee's lack of sleep would be dealt with later.

The lights flickered off.

Turning on the light, Hach ran the light over the shower area finding nothing. Undaunted, she flicked a switch, intensifying the beam. Still nothing. Tim waited in the threshold to give Hach room to work. He was more tired than attentive at the moment.

"So it wasn't in here." Tim suggested sounding tired.

"So it seems." Hach agreed with him only partially.

Tim offered. "If they were arguing they might have taken it outside."

"Or brought it in here." Hach moved towards the door. "If there was any blood spilled, the light at this setting should detect it."

What they got were a trail of blood droplets only. But it went off towards the far corner towards the opposite exit directly out onto the ice rink not currently under investigation. There were two rinks used throughout the day by skaters for warm-ups and practice. The main rink currently swarmed with NCIS personnel. The other was untouched as of the moment since the focus was next door.

"Our scene is this way." The blood trail thickened in circular blood droplets.

Tim frowned at the droplets growing larger. "Someone carried her from the secondary rink to the main rink."

Hach walked up to the door leading to the secondary rink in the dark, finding the door was propped open already. It was wide open. Hach paused in case someone was waiting in the dark for some unsuspecting person to walk through. Nothing moved so she decided to press on.

"To put her on display." Tim thought out loud.

"Possibly."

The ice in the rink was smooth and solid even in the small light from the ceiling where the emergency lighting emanated. Hach stepped through the doorway sideways to avoid stepping in the blood splatter on the floor. Tim followed closely, the light hitting a large area on the floor.

In the dim light, Hach and Tim looked to one another.

"Found it." Tim mumbled. "I'll let Gibbs know." Disappearing back into the women's locker room to go find Gibbs in the main rink.

Hach studied the pattern of the blood.

**Chapter Five**

Tim dragged himself into the office, setting his bag down as if he just returned from war. His eyes closed half way and his shoulders drooped. Hach seemed to catch on to this following him through the garage back to the office. Normally she would head straight to the lab but thought better of it since Agents DiNozzo and Ziva were out. Agent McGee sat down with a lot on his mind. Part of her wanted to give Gibbs a piece of her mind but thought it would be pointless.

Tim wearily looked up to his computer and barely focused on the screen. He tapped a few keys on the board in front of him and somehow did not care if his email came up. Hach walked up to his desk. It took him several extra seconds to realize she was staring down at him.

"I suggest you go down to the lab and catch a few hours." Hach advised evenly.

She had to be mindful of her tone. Jay, her rather smart, twelve-year old godson, often told her she sounded cold when she commanded someone to do something, even if was intended to be good for them in the end. He typically had good judgment where other humans were concerned despite his young age. So she heeded his warning whenever dealing with others professionally. Agent McGee needed help himself.

Tim protested weakly. "There's so much to do; financials, background into known associates, addresses, next of kin, and…" He lost his train of thought then. "Gibbs will…"

"I can take care of the background checks, financials, and so on." Hach knew the drill well enough by now. "This isn't the first agent outfit I've aided in an investigation. Now off you get." She brought her thumb and middle finger together and pinged McGee on the forehead.

He wearily looked at her.

"Next time, I'll do it harder." She warned.

Tim nodded and found he had just enough strength to stand. Hach guided him towards the lab keeping an eye on his stagger. It was rare to see an agent worked so roughly. Still, once he was down, she could get to work without worrying about him wandering off. Agent McGee would crash hard once he finally settled down. Hach could keep an eye on him in the lab.

She said quietly. "I can multitask."

**Chapter Six**

Gibbs returned to the office after finding a fresh coffee. He slowed then stopped finding his one remaining agent not at his desk. Tim went off somewhere. His chair looked pushed in and the top cleared on non-essential items. Had he gone home? Narrowing his eyes, Gibbs decided to alternate his plans. He walked through passing his desk heading to the lab.

In the laboratory…

Abby ran the evidence from the crime scene, waiting for results to come through AFIS. Well, one of many databases she was running fingerprints through. But not just for their new case but for Perfecto as well. Hach brought in Tim an hour ago and he was sleeping like a baby.

Hach worked at her makeshift station across from Abby. Her head blocked the view to the plasma, which was why a second plasma television was attached to the wall above the new master spectrometer. They could display multiple cases at once without getting in each other's way. Her new equipment ran like a marathon runner. Abby sighed unhappy Tony was still in hospital and Ziva was on ordered best rest at home.

"Is there a problem, Abby?" Hach asked from her station without perking her head up.

"Tony's still out." Abby grimaced then pressed her lips together. "It's weird not having him and Ziva around."

Hach looked over her computer monitor. "You were there when he came out of his coma. Agent DiNozzo may hate staying there but it's best until he heals a bit more. He'll rip out all the work we did otherwise."

"You don't know, Tony." Abby brightened slightly. "He's a get up and go kind of guy. Takes a lot to keep him down."

"If he undoes what the hospital team did for him." Hach glanced at her screen. "He'll incur more than just a second surgery."

Abby only stared at Hach wide eyed.

Hach said. "He'll incur my wrath."

Abby's lips drew into a circle. "Ooh. That's not good, is it?"

Hach shook her head to indicate her legendary temper.

"I've only heard stories." Abby could not imagine how much it would take to make Dr. Hature angry.

Never once had she seen the doc get flustered over evidence not doing what it was told since they shared a lab together. She held her emotions in check during work. It was odd finding she never once wigged out having Hach in the lab despite her psycho assistant history. But Hach had no interest in her other than keeping busy when Abby was away on Perfecto and aiding the MCRT when needed.

"Pray Agent DiNozzo never incurs my wrath, Miss Sciuto." Hach smiled slightly finding the information she wanted. "Where's this Agent Gibbs of yours?"

Gibbs walked in hoping Abby had something. "Right here."

"Fabulous." Hach straightened her back.

"Where's McGee?" Gibbs was sure he would find him here.

Abby nodded towards her office, the door closed. "In my back room out cold. He's worked himself to the bone lately. Especially with the Reaper still out there."

Gibbs paused then decided to go wake him up.

Hach noticed the move. "He'll be useless for at least another five hours. After that, you can run him ragged again until he drops."

"I need him on this case." Gibbs set his steely gaze on Hach.

"I've run the financials and the backgrounds on known associates of Miss Ryker's." Hach smirked at Gibbs. "Unless you're not interested?"

Gibbs thought for a moment then decided to leave Tim be.

"Miss Ryker has one coach, Zach Morgan. A previous figure skater himself, his best placement was a silver at Nationals and fourth at Worlds before an injury to his Achilles tendon ended his career." Hach brought the information on screen behind her. "Abby's running the evidence but nothing's popped so far. It'll be another few hours before the chemical analysis comes in. I've put in a call to have Zach Morgan brought to NCIS since you're down your team at the moment. There's nothing on her financials that's 'hinkey'." She glanced at Abby and smiled slightly. "Nothing odd on her accounts within the last year indicate her getting involved in any suspicious activities. I hope this is satisfactory?"

Gibbs nodded taking a drink from his coffee.

Abby leaned forward at the awkward silence between Hach and Gibbs. "How did you know to run all this?"

"Agent McGee was kind enough to list everything while I escorted him down here to get some necessary sleep." Hach shrugged. "It only made sense to save him the trouble since there's two of us here and only one set of working equipment." She glanced at Agent Gibbs. "I'm told that Mr. Morgan will arrive within the hour. I've transferred all the files to your computer, Agent Gibbs. You'll find it on the desktop in the folder that reads 'Ice'. I kept it simple for you to find."

What could he say to that? Gibbs walked up to Abby and leaned over then kissed her on the temple. "Thanks, Abby."

Abby smiled as Hach lifted an eyebrow at her. "I'm his favorite."

"I see that." Hach shook her head in disbelief and got to back to work.

It was odd to find an NCIS agent kissing a forensics scientist for doing her job. But then, this Major Case Response Team was different than those she aided in the past. Thinking nothing more of the incident, she got back to work digging deeper into the backgrounds in case the first layer observed missed something obvious.

**Chapter Seven**

Zach Morgan sat across from Gibbs in the conference room. He stood six one, 180-pounds, light brown hair, blue eyes with average features. He wore a brown polo shirt with a black leather jacket and black trousers. His boots were for the snow and standing on the ice at the rink.

Gibbs decided to keep the interview informal since he knew nothing about the victim or her associates. If he decided to investigate Zach Morgan in more depth, Tim could run a more detailed background check on him when he woke.

"What's this about, Agent Gibbs?" Zach folded his hands together.

His voice was low. "Desdemona Ryker."

"I arrived for our session this morning but it was closed off for something." Zach shook his shoulders. "We usually meet around six-thirty for a dry run before focusing on a jump she's having issues with on Wednesdays. It was a bit odd to find the police there this morning. She wasn't answering her phone when I tried to call her to warn her we couldn't get in today."

Gibbs said nothing, remaining silent eyeing Zach Morgan.

The light bulb went on in Zach's head and he turned concerned. "Is Dez hurt?"

"She's dead, Mr. Morgan." Gibbs noted the genuine shock. "Found this morning at the rink."

Zach's eyes teared up, running both hands through his hair. "I…I can't believe it!" He leaned forward onto the table resting on his elbows and placed his hands over his face. "We left the gym last night around seven after weight training. Every Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. Whenever she can fit it into her schedule. The Navy gives her a bit more leeway for training time since she placed at Nationals and Worlds last year."

"You believe she would've placed this year?" Gibbs leaned back.

"Oh, yes, definitely!" Zach perked up but still broken hearted. "She was hurt for five years before winning silver at Nationals. Competing on an injured ankle, a pulled hamstring, then a broken hand from an accident where her mother died. The agony of losing a parent like that. It was one thing after another. But somehow she pulled it all together last year and made her mark. She had a tough road before she placed at Nationals. She worked so hard to get well."

"Anyone want her dead?"

Zach shook his head. "No." He frowned. "Not that I can think of. She got along with the others I teach as well. I have more than one student, Agent Gibbs. Mondays and Wednesdays we, as a group, meet at nine am to run practice skills, go over the small moves so they don't forget how to transfer and shift from blade to blade. Little things that can trip you up during a program unless you keep yourself on top of things and know how to deal with being thrown off track. The girls typically don't spend more than a few hours together running through drills."

"Why was she at the rink last night?" Gibbs made up that she was seen.

Zach shrugged. "I…I don't know. I know Dez was practicing something heavy for Nationals this year. She really wanted to take the top spot this year."

Gibbs led in. "Which is…"

Zach sat back and threw his hands up. "She wouldn't tell me. Knows I hate it when she tries something dangerous that will get her injured again. Dez was never afraid of trying something new or difficult. She liked taking the risks. The more challenging it was, the more she liked it. We butted heads about it on more than one occasion."

"Recently?"

"Last week." Zach sighed. "I caught her doing a back side axel. It's not illegal in skating but it's not exactly sanctioned either. A bit of a gray area. No one's ever landed it and a few who tried broke their ankles for their troubles."

"Where did you go after your gym session?"

"My mother made meatloaf." Zach was unphased by the question. "My sister couldn't join us because her car broke down."

"I'll need her number to corroborate your story."

"Sure." Zach eyed Gibbs. "Not a problem. I got there around nine-thirty."

Gibbs could find nothing more to ask about since he no support at the moment. He could not wake McGee since Hach the dragon was keeping a watchful eye on Tim. She would head him off before he opened the office door.

"Thank you for coming in." Gibbs got up handing Zach Morgan a business card. "If you remember something else, please get in touch."

Zach got to his feet and nodded.

Gibbs added. "I'd like to meet the other students."

"Sure." Zach nodded absent-mindedly. "We're meeting tomorrow afternoon. I had to call them last minute to cancel because of…I didn't say why. Since we're off schedule, we need to make it up. Nationals are in a couple of months. I want to make sure they know we're a team. Come by and you can ask your questions."

Zach Morgan left the conference room.

Gibbs watched him leave. "Oh, I will."

**Chapter Eight**

Gibbs arrived at Autopsy to find Ducky alone with the body. The chest was cut open and the internal organs removed on the side tables. A towel lay over the pelvis area with a small tray sitting on top with tools laid out for eventual use. He looked around for Palmer but the younger assistant was nowhere in the room.

"Where is everyone?" Gibbs asked Ducky.

Ducky lifted his head. "Mr. Palmer got sick earlier this afternoon so I sent him home."

"McGee's in Abby's lab sleeping." Gibbs took a drink from his coffee.

"No doubt under the watchful eye of Hach." Ducky smiled. "I see that bothers you."

Gibbs got irritated momentarily but realized it was foolish since he understood her motives. "My team's down, Duck."

"And you feel alone." Ducky nodded. "It's not like us to be separated like this. Tony remains in the hospital though I suspect he'll be released in a day or two. Ziva's at home resting and McGee's pushing himself to maintain the level of quality you expect from all your agents. Hach isn't Tim nor is she an agent."

"You got that right." Gibbs took another drink from his coffee.

"She bothers you?"

"I can't figure out whether I can trust her or not." Gibbs was unsure where to start. "She gets on me this morning over McGee then she hands me the information Tim would've gotten me anyway."

Ducky smiled but hid it from Jethro offering. "A helpful irritation."

"Ya think?" Gibbs knew he was letting it get to him. "She's been here twelve weeks."

"And she hasn't made any attempts to join the team." Ducky knew what he felt without words. "Well, why should she? This is only a temporary assignment until her lab's completed at Norfolk. Did Director Vance tell you anything about her?"

"Nothing useful." Gibbs sighed and took another drink of his coffee.

He took a much longer stare at Gibbs noticing the small twitch in his stance signaling he was agitated. Having Dr. Hature on the team, even temporarily was a major switch up from having his well-oiled team surrounding him. Gibbs dealt with change rather well but lately, almost losing Anthony DiNozzo and Ziva David shook his foundation. Ducky left that subject for another time.

"I can tell you Miss Ryker wasn't raped." Ducky decided a change in subject would be better for Jethro's mood. "Cause of death was, indeed, the gash across her neck. She bled out fast."

Gibbs shook his head. "From the amount of blood found in the secondary rink, she probably didn't realize what happened even when she dropped."

"There was a jagged tear on the right side of the victim throat indicating that whatever the weapon was, it had a portion of it's blade jagged. It was very sharp from the depth of this cut."

Gibbs nodded. "Took the weapon with them. We found nothing at the arena."

"The killer clearly cleaned up after the crime." Ducky caught himself. "There was nothing to indicate a shoe print, gloves, nothing but the blood drops leading from the secondary rink to the main rink. The killer must've cared for his victim. Placing her where someone would find her quickly enough."

Gibbs perked up. "Anything for Abby?"

"I'm afraid not yet." Ducky motioned towards Miss Ryker on his slab. "It may be that the killing was so happenstance that it shocked whoever was with her and that person took off. Unless they planned it and made sure to leave nothing behind."

Either scenario could work.

Gibbs said nothing turning towards the door. "Keep on it, Duck."

**Chapter Nine**

Gibbs arrived back at his desk to find Ziva standing in the aisle between her and DiNozzo's desk. She wore casual clothes in black and white with white gym shoes. Her coat told him it was a little warmer today. Ziva appeared well rested but her stature said she was still feeling the affects from the explosion. Her hands were clasped together as he approached her.

"Ziva?" Gibbs queried.

Ziva glanced at the floor then lifted her eyes to meet Gibbs. "I can't just sit home and do nothing, Gibbs. I'm going crazy stirring at home with nothing to do but wait."

"You're…"

She put up a hand. "I know what my doctor's orders were." Ziva appeared tired but her eyes were bright. "I just can't stay home. Not while you're here and he's still out there. I'm not going to let the Reaper win this one."

"It's too early for you. I can see it." Gibbs knew better than to reason with a doctor in the house. "Dr. Hature won't let you stay if she finds you're here."

Ziva shook her head. "I've been cleared by Vance to do light duties. Computer work, anything that I can sit for long periods of time without walking around. I just can't stay home anymore." She looked into Gibbs' eyes. "Please."

Gibbs nodded and let her walk behind her desk.

"Where's McGee?' Ziva noted the empty feeling the office had when she arrived.

"Sleeping in Abby's lab." Gibbs returned to his desk. "He's been pulling overtime while you're both gone."

That made Ziva feel guilty but she sucked it down knowing it was not her fault. "What are we working on now?"

"Desdemona Ryker." Gibbs sat down to look for that file Hach told him about on his desktop.

"The Navy figure skater who won Silver at Nationals and Bronze at Worlds last year?" Ziva sighed when she sat down, feeling like she was finally home. "When was she killed?"

It surprised him Ziva knew the victim just by mentioning her name.

"This morning." Gibbs found the computer unwilling to accept his commands.

"Oh." With that Ziva sat down and turned on her computer.

"Dr. Hature gave me the financials, backgrounds and known associates." Gibbs walked back to his desk and sat down to do his own research.

Ziva opened her email. "Hach forwarded me the email of the completed background check and financials findings." There was also a get-well message tacked on the end that made her smile.

Ziva realized Director Vance talked to Dr. Hature, Hach, about her coming back sooner than Monday no doubt. It made her feel good to be back in action even if was with limited duties. Being idle was not her best skill. Hach was stern but she knew it was because Hach did not like seeing NCIS agents down despite her chilly exterior.

TO BE CONTINUED…


	20. Episode 7: Skating Dead Part 2

**NCIS Season 9**

**Episode 9.6.2**

**SKATING DEAD**

**By: Lady JenDragon**

**Disclaimer: **NCIS ain't mine, I'm over it.

**Author's Notes: **Read, just read.

* * *

**SKATING DEAD**

**PART TWO**

**Chapter Ten**

McGee woke around three am to find Ziva lying on a cot next to him. Tim found himself staring at Ziva's angelic face as she slept. He sat up on the bed Abby kept in the back room for cases that required long hours in the lab, flipping off the thin blankets spread over him. He felt groggy but that was due to the fact he went without a lot of sleep lately. Catching up would be difficult until there was a break in the Reaper case. Desdemona Ryker was a nice break from the Reaper. And a lot less scary. He watched Ziva sleep for another moment until she stirred.

He looked up to find Abby standing in the door smiling at him. Motioning for him to join her, Abby left the threshold to return to the lab. Quickly, he got to his feet and padded over to door in his socks. Tim crept out softly and closed the door behind him.

He glanced around the lab from the closed door. "When did Ziva get here?"

Abby looked up from her workstation. "This afternoon around four." She went back to work on a chemical analysis on her screen. "Hach was furious Director Vance let her come back early. But she saw Ziva really wanted to help and relented. Which I'm sure Director Vance had something to do with that. She also kept Gibbs from waking you sooner than you needed."

Tim pressed a hand to his forehead as if he forgot something. "Awe…Gibbs…"

"No worries, Timmy." Abby shrugged. "There's not much to do anyway. Nothing on the vic that wasn't hers. No rape. No fibers were left behind that isn't costume material. We're thinking she was with someone, like another skater, when she died."

"Does Gibbs know?" Tim felt unsure what to do.

"Of course." Abby was a little too chipper. "He went home a little more than four hours ago."

"Why didn't you go home?"

Abby tapped on her keyboard, narrowing her eyes at the formula on her screen. "And leave my full house here?" She shook her head. "Please."

Tim stood there unsure what to do: go back to sleep or get to work. He slept through most of the afternoon and all of the evening. Not it was early in the morning and he was behind.

Abby turned to him and answered his thoughts for him. "Get dressed." She had a firm but soft smile on her lips.

Tim frowned at the Abby order. "What for?"

"We're going to see Tony." Abby smile widened.

"But it's like three o'clock in the morning."

"Hach said she'd arrange it to make sure we got in to see our fallen comrade." Abby smiled sweetly. "NCIS is open 24-hours for their very special agents." She perked up. "She's so good to us!"

Tim nodded groggily. "Ye…yeah."

Then went to go find his clothes. He did not remember taking off his shoes or his pants when he came down initially. Then again, he was out of it at the time. Must have been Abby, he suspected. Anything could have happened when he was unconscious, he would never have known about it.

**Chapter Eleven**

Tony lay under the covers seemingly unconscious in the hospital gown and off white covers that used to be bright white. His head was wrapped in a gauge bandage since some of the debris was found lodged in his scalp. They had to peel it out and clean the area. His hair would grow back soon enough. He had a heart monitor on his right hand but he was eating food and drinking liquids from a cup.

Abby led the way into the room but allowed Tim to move towards the bed first. He was timid at first since this was the first time he saw Tony after the explosion almost took Ziva and him out. He gulped seeing the scratches and healing cuts on his face, arms, and neck. Tony DiNozzo looked a wreck and this was two weeks worth of healing.

"It's okay." Abby shooed whispering. "You can get closer."

Tim glanced over at Abby. She came every day bringing him flowers of every color she could find. Abby wanted to make sure Tony had not become color blind from the explosion. Then Tony stirred, leaning his head towards Tim. His eyes flickered open then groaned.

"We shouldn't have come so late." Tim whispered.

Playing the role of sick patient, Tony motioned with a tired hand for Tim to come closer. His chest sank and rose deeply, his eyes half closed. Tim did as he was told and moved to stand next to the bed. Instantly, Tony's arm arced over him and slapped McGee up the back of the head.

"Ow!" Tim cringed when his voice echoed then whispered. "What was that for?"

Tony sat up wide-awake and glared at Tim sternly. "Not coming to see me sooner."

"That's harassment!" Tim rubbed his head.

"We're not at NCIS, are we, McSleepy?" Tony smiled. "What? No get well card?" He suddenly got serious. "Did you bring any real food with you?"

"I see the pains haven't kept your spirit down." Tim took the seat next to the bed irritated by the sharp jolt this early in the morning. "No real food for you."

Then again, it had been a while since anyone got head slapped in the team from Gibbs. Since they were warned in sexual harassment class that anyone seen slapping another employee would be written up and disciplined.

"I heard Gibbs is working you overtime."

Tim rolled his eyes. "I've been working myself overtime. The Reaper just up and disappeared on us. Gibbs has been wrapped up trying to pull in contacts who might know more about this Reaper guy. His habits, patterns, we're looking at everything. Then we caught a case this morning. Desdemona Ryker?"

"The little daughter of Thomas Ryker?" Tony got happy, lifting his face to the ceiling as if remembering. "Wears skates and leaps through the air like an angel?"

Tim was unconvinced by Tony's sincerity. "You watch figure skating?"

He lifted his face to the ceiling as if recalling a memory. "Young feminine's wearing sparkly little costumes showing off shapely legs while they spin, leap and jump across the ice?" Tony smiled at Tim then turned serious. "No. I usually see it when I go to the bar to watch sports and drink myself into oblivion. Sometime you just have to watch the ladies though. Some of them are a bit girlish. Not that Desdemona Ryker though. Fiery one that she is."

"Tony!" Abby moaned.

"Sorry, Abs." Tony shrugged. "I can't help it when women wear skimpy little costumes. I just feel compelled to watch when they put their legs up by their heads and spin."

He tried to mimic the women putting up a leg towards his head and ended up hurting himself. Tim and Abby laughed as Tony leaned back over dramatizing the pain he felt.

"No." Tony winced as he settled back down. "Seriously, it's great to have visitors. There's only so much you can watch on ten hospital channels and none of them has sports. Hach has been stopping by every evening on her way home. She's not as mean as I thought."

"It must be you then." Tim smirked. "I'm her favorite."

"Cause nerds stick together." Tony pouted. "Birds of a feather…"

"It's because she cares, Tony." Abby pressed her hands together then pressed them against her heart. "She arranged for us to get in tonight. McGee nearly crashed on his desk today."

Tim rolled his eyes. "I did not!"

Abby laughed. "Did too! Hach told me all about it!"

Tony laughed at the idea of McDrool liquidating his desk, making a funny face to show Abby how he probably looked. Abby laughed then so did McGee. And the conversation continued as Tim brought Tony up on the new case and all the office gossip with Abby to fill in details.

**Chapter Twelve**

Tim and Abby returned to NCIS at seven having been kicked out of the room by the night staff. It turned out they were a little rowdy towards the end. Tony got sleepy so they let him rest. McGee felt better for having seen him. Seeing Ziva in the lab when he woke was a welcome sight as well. He hoped she had not left upon their return.

Hach was seated at Tony's desk tapping away on his computer. She had a small laptop connected to his tower with two cords. Tim and Ziva looked at each other when they arrived to greet Gibbs this morning. Hach did not seem to mind that she was noticed sitting in the office.

"Morning, Hach." Tim started noticing Hach typed so fast it was hard to keep up with his eyes.

"Morning, Agent McGee." Hach was oblivious to McGee watching her nimble fingers. "How was your visit this morning with Agent DiNozzo?"

"Great." Tim smiled warmly. "Thank you for arranging it."

"Welcome." Hach closed the laptop then. "When Agent DiNozzo gets back, tell him to optimize his computer once a week. It'll run more efficient that way."

"Did he tell you it was running slow?" Ziva asked quietly.

She wore a green solid shirt with a low dipping collar. Her black pants were curve fitting but not too tight. Hach warned her about wearing such clothes following a serious injury. She wore a white sweater over the outfit and black flat shoes. She did not want to chance falling over if she continued to feel the ill-effects from her healing injuries.

"After he woke from his coma mumbling about PacMan and how he was not a magic pellet." Hach got to her feet to disconnect the laptop as Ziva and Tim chuckled at the reference. "I suspect his behavior stems from patient delirium from the post surgical pharmaceutical cocktail he received. I decided it would be a kind gesture to take care of his computer problems prior to his return to agent duties." Hach collected the wires as she disconnected them and began folding them.

Gibbs walked past in nearly a blur with a coffee in his hand. "Someone talk to me."

He wore a gray blazer with red polo, a white t-shirt beneath his polo with his field boots and black trousers. Tim had yet to get home to change, wearing the same outfit from the previous day. Ziva appeared refreshed and thought ahead bringing an overnight bag with her yesterday.

"Agent DiNozzo will be released tomorrow at eleven…in the morning." Hach stated watching Gibbs spin to look at her. "I suggest you have someone there to help him home. There's no one local I've been able to find that would be willing to aid him."

Tim and Ziva both nodded towards one another hoping they could pull it off. With that, Hach walked out from behind DiNozzo's desk, passed Gibbs and left the office. Gibbs followed Hach with his eyes until she passed him. Hach never made eye contact with him.

Anyone in the office would have noticed the cold shoulder treatment from the Gibbs' den. Ziva lipped to Tim, 'That was a bit cold'. Tim agreed and nodded back. This was the first time they witnessed Hach interact with Gibbs in such a manner.

"Who's working here?" Gibbs wanted to know.

Tim and Ziva returned to attention and scrambled for the data they were running this morning.

"Hitting a dead end on possible enemies." Tim stated from his desk.

Ziva found the website more disturbing than working on the case. "The media's having a day in the field with the death of Miss Ryker. Apparently, she's had a few run-ins with the paparazzi last year. James Grogan was caught trying to follow Desdemona into the women's locker room and she decked him for it. He filed a lawsuit for assault but it was thrown out. Nothing in recent months."

Gibbs summed things up quickly. "So we got nothing."

Tim lifted his head. "Zach Morgan's meeting with his team today."

Something was better than nothing at the moment.

**Chapter Thirteen**

Gibbs and McGee left the office in the early afternoon to return to the ice arena to meet with the other students of Zach Morgan. Upon arriving, they found out there were an additional four rinks available despite the other two being closed for the investigation. Tim wondered how he missed that important detail?

They found Zach Morgan and three young women running through drills at the moment from one end of the rink to the other as fast as they could but with grace and footwork thrown in. Tim watched like a schoolboy while Gibbs moved forward to bring attention to himself. Zach Morgan instantly saw the pair and nodded towards them.

"That's good, ladies! Regroup!" He called out across the ice.

Zach Morgan waited for the ladies to regroup where he stood on the ice. He nodded towards Agent Gibbs wearing skates then calmly told his girls about Desdemona Ryker and that she was discovered this morning. Then he guided them over to Agent Gibbs and another man he never met before.

McGee leaned towards Gibbs. "His students are Katlin Meyers and Claire Downes too? I think the third is Georgia Reyes. She's a rising star in figure skating."

Gibbs shrugged silently unaware of these ladies importance in the world of Figure Skating.

Tim could not help himself. "Katlin finished just shy of the podium at Nationals and was an alternate at Worlds last year. Claire finished sixth at Nationals while Reyes came in eighteenth."

Gibbs said nothing taking a long drink from his coffee, not really caring.

Katlin Meyers was a pretty blonde with a long, lean figure. She wore a red training leotard this morning with her white boots. Catching a glimpse of the men they were to speak to, she lifted her chin in attitude. Both Claire Downes and Georgia Reyes appeared innocent in their demeanor as they skated over to the agents.

Zach Morgan and his students finally made their way over. "Georgia Reyes, Katlin Meyers, and Claire Downes, meet Special Agent Gibbs from NCIS." Zach looked to McGee. "And you are?"

"Agent Tim McGee of NCIS." He took out his ID and flashed it towards Zach then the three girls.

"What's NCIS?" Katlin Myers quipped folding her arms annoyed practice was interrupted.

"Navy Criminal Investigative Service." Tim replied.

"Is this related to Dez?" Georgia asked sweetly then her expression turned to sadness.

Zach nodded. "Yes. There's going to be a lot of coverage once it hits."

Gibbs knew the media already broke the story this morning. It surprised him that Vance kept it out of the headlines until today. He noted none of the girls were crying over the loss of Desdemona Ryker. It benefited them all with one less competitor out of the running.

"It's already hit, Coach Morgan." Katlin said huffily, her arms still folded. "I read about it this morning in the New York Times."

"What?" Zach was surprised.

"Doesn't matter." Tim intervened. "We'll need to speak to each one of you, separately."

Katlin sighed, Georgia and Claire glanced between them. Claire Downes winked at McGee then smiled seductively. Gibbs set his eyes on Katlin Meyers deciding on his first interview of the afternoon. Zach Morgan watched the girls respond to the two NCIS agents.

The wink noticed by his boss, Tim avoided Claire Downes and asked for Georgia Reyes to join him. Somehow he knew Gibbs would saddle him with Claire Downes once he completed his interview with Georgia Reyes.

**Chapter Fourteen**

McGee took Georgia Reyes to interview first, sitting in the corner away from the others. Zach decided to run Claire Downes while the other two were being interviewed. Tim knew that to ask for an autograph would be in poor taste at the moment. Maybe once the case was over he could get one for Sarah.

Tim smiled shortly sitting on one of two dusty chairs, taking out a pen and his notepad. "I'm sorry I have to ask these questions."

Georgia smiled sweetly then turned solemn. "I don't mind answering your questions, Special Agent Tim McGee. Its not often we'll meet, is it? It's horrible what happened to Dez."

"How long have you known Desdemona Ryker?"

"She's been a student of Mr. Morgan's for more than six years." Georgia thought for a moment. "I came on last February since my other coach had too many students. I wasn't getting the attention I deserved."

Tim nodded. "When was the last time you saw her?"

"Monday." Georgia shrugged. "We ran drills and worked on our footwork runs."

"Those can be brutal." Tim agreed.

"Easily get tripped up if you're mind's elsewhere." Georgia sighed. "I lost two levels in my ranking because of a bobble on my footwork once."

"Did Desdemona appear bothered or complain about someone bothering her?" Tim watched Georgia closely for signs.

She frowned thinking about the day. "No. In fact, she appeared more upbeat than usual."

"She say why?"

"No." Georgia shrugged. "Dez liked to be secretive. Said she was nailing the move she'd been working on recently. It was really going to spark up Nationals."

"Did she like to brag?"

Georgia paused before she answered 'yes'. Then she went into a rambling explanation of how Desdemona Ryker behaved during practices, before programs, and interacted with the other skaters. Tim remained silent taking in everything she spoke about for later reference.

**Chapter Fifteen**

Gibbs eyed the young woman of no more than twenty standing near the wall, her arms folded. She avoided looking at him annoyed she had to talk to him. He chose to remain standing, noting McGee sat with Georgia Reyes in the far corner. Miss Meyers was clearly not pleased that he was keeping her from practice.

"Now long will this take, Agent…Gibbs is it?" She looked at him.

There was a lot anger in her green eyes.

He nodded. "It'll take longer the more you continue to avoid answering my questions."

Katlin breathed, unfolding her arms. "Fine!" She turned to face Gibbs. "I saw her Monday morning during our usual group drill session. She was happier than normal and for her, it was odd to see her so happy. Typically she walks around down hard on herself if things weren't going well. Practices seemed to be going well lately for her. Got a lot more confident in the last few weeks. Bragged how she'd been nailing a difficult move for the last week. Said it would really light up Nationals."

Gibbs noted the glint of resentment. "That worry you?"

Katlin tilted towards Gibbs with a look of 'insult' on her face. "Please. Dez was always bragging she could do something before a competition. Her injuries always came back to haunt her though. We never mentioned it after a competition when she failed to make the podium. She hated failing more than anything. Dez was more bark than bite until last year. But her bragging never bothered me."

"You haven't heard about this move she was practicing?"

"No. She kept it pretty close to the vest." Katlin looked to the floor. "She was working on something more than just a move and her confidence levels. I could tell her technique was different but I couldn't figure out what was different about it. The same thing happened just before Nationals last year. Suddenly she's the golden girl."

"Drugs?"

"No." Katlin shook her head. "We're tested twice a year." It was only a suspicion. "Dez was doing something on the side. I can tell when she's focused on something she's really into. But she never mentioned what it was or could be. If she couldn't brag about it, she didn't bother talking about it. That's how she operated."

"Know anyone who wanted her dead?"

"Not me." Katlin smirked. "Competition like Desdemona Ryker's good for me. Makes me a better skater when I have something to focus on. I was going to make this Nationals count and put Desdemona Ryker back in second."

Gibbs smiled at the look of determination in Katlin Meyers eyes.

**Chapter Sixteen**

The interview with Claire Downes proved similar to Georgia Reyes. She kept her answers simple and batted her eyes at Tim a few times. Clearly she was not ashamed of being straight forward when she thought someone was cute or was more than interested in talking. Tim had to thank her kindly but the questions were all that he was interested in.

Tim conducted the second interview while Gibbs walked around the arena. Eventually his boss disappeared from view leaving Tim with the task of interviewing the last skater. He knew this was going to happen just because she winked at him earlier. Being an agent, Tim took a deep breath and went to talk to Miss Downes.

Questioning Claire Downes was turning into a lesson in restraint. She was more than happy to over dramatize Dez's bragging and her opinion of the other skaters was enlightening to say the least. Not to mention he was quickly getting the hint she wanted more than to just talk. At one point she just asked for his number and made sure he did not give her his card.

Once he finished with Claire Downes and sent her back to Zach Morgan, he left he rink with a new outlook on women's figure skating. Approaching the front doors, Gibbs joined him.

"I don't need a stalker." Tim muttered walking away from the girl.

Claire watched Agent McGee walk away, her eyes glinting. She tilted her head slightly to the side in an approving manner. Once he exited through the double-wide doors, she returned to Coach Morgan and the other two skaters waiting.

Clear of the practice rink, Tim shuddered. Then he jumped, taking a side step in his walk, when Gibbs suddenly appeared beside him. A hand immediately went over his chest, he blinked and then relaxed again.

"Learn anything?" Gibbs asked smirking.

"Women skaters are scary." Tim shuddered again glancing over his shoulder. "Even at that age."

"Doesn't matter what age they are, McGee." Gibbs smiled leaving the facility. "Did you give her your number?"

"No." Tim shook his head. "She seemed a bit…too interested in what I was doing."

Gibbs smiled. "You afraid of a twenty-year old girl, Tim?"

"Only that kind." Tim tried not to think about it. "Behind that sweet fasod that girl is crazy."

That made Gibbs laugh as he took a drink of his coffee. They walked back to the car side by side. Tim appeared disturbed the entire way, his brow furrowed.

**Chapter Seventeen**

Abby turned towards the door as Gibbs walked in with a Caf-Pow in hand and his coffee in the other. She wore a black tutu skirt with bright pink under color tutu and a black shirt with a pink skull on the front. Her hair was pulled into her Abby tails, pigtails, each through a pink skull. Her liquid black boots came up to her knees.

"Oh god, yes!" Abby held out her hands.

Gibbs happily allowed her to take possession of the cup and drink longingly from it. He walked to her workstation noticing Hach was missing from the lab. He smirked that for once, Abby finally found an assistant she could tolerate. Once Abby completed her freshening and rejuvenating activities, she joined him at his side.

Abby nearly slid into the workstation table. "You don't know how much I needed that!"

Gibbs nodded he did indeed know exactly what she needed. "What have you got?"

"The weapon of choice." Abby tapped her keyboard.

"It wasn't a knife like Ducky first thought with a jagged-serrated front blade." Abby lifted her eyes to the screen. "From the style of the wound, I've been able to calculate that there's a 225 centimeter length with a slight curve to the front of the blade that straightens out. I also found some steel dust on the victim's left hand."

Gibbs knew little of formulas and chemistry. "A skate?"

"Right on one, Gibbs." Abby smiled. "Nothing gets by our silver fox." She ignored the glare from Gibbs at the name. "More specifically it's a figure skate. But there's no listing that gives me the 225 centimeter length. According to the International Olympic Committee, the blades are typical used in international competition are between one hundred eighty to two hundred twenty centimeters."

"Has a five centimeter difference." Gibbs noted. "She was testing new skates."

"If she was using them in competition, she could've gotten disqualified." Abby shrugged along with a wince at the idea of Desdemona Ryker losing a medal.

"Might be the confidence she found recently." Gibbs glanced at Abby. "You found some steel dust?"

"Yes!" Abby tapped a few more keys. "Time tempered steel to be exact."

Gibbs stayed silent.

"Only tells me that it was a skate." Abby brought up a photo of a chemical formula that moved with each keystroke she made. "Tempered steel is found in the bottom quarter of figure skates to handle the amount of wear and tear on the blade from jumps and spins. It's heated between 150 and 650 degrees Celsius, or 302 and 1202 degrees Fahrenheit."

"Your point?" Gibbs was impatient when Abby got technical.

"It's thermodynamically impossible to heat steel to get a single completely homogenous formula. Each blade is almost always a mixture of its components: martensite, bainite, ferrite, and cementite." Abby smiled. "Very much like a fingerprint. Find me the blade, I can match the steel dust found on the victim. The blade was recently ground down which was probably why she had the dust on her hand in the first place."

That gave Gibbs something to focus on. "She was there when the skate was ground down."

"With the measurements and blood patterns found in the secondary rink, I reconstructed the crime scene in the practice rink." Abby pressed several buttons and moved from her work station to stand in front of the large plasma screen with her remote in hand. "Miss Ryker must've been arguing with someone. She was pushed back and the killer, with the weapon in hand, swung out and slashed her throat in one quick arc."

A CGI person appeared on the large plasma. Gibbs walked around Abby and approached the screen with interest. The woman generated on the screen just stood there until Abby joined him and pressed a button on her remote.

"The blade was recently sharpened since there were no residues or flecks left from metal touching ice."

"Or it as new." Gibbs thought for a moment. "We interviewed the other students of her coach today. They mentioned she was working on something."

"The angle of the blade doesn't match the typical sanctioned blade." Abby pressed another key and a skate replaced the woman's throat slashing. "It's one degree sharper and the blade was ground down for a sharp edge."

"She was testing new skates." Gibbs turned to Abby. "Can you tell if she was using the new skates at…whatever last year?"

"Nationals, Gibbs. It's not a bad word." Stopping at his glare. "I doubt Dez was wearing the skates before she died." Abby paused. "They're probably a prototype. But yeah, I can take a look at the footage."

Gibbs turned and headed for the door.

**Chapter Eighteen**

Tim sat with Elena Ryker, the sister of Desdemona, in the conference room. It would be a more relaxing atmosphere for the family if they met here instead of one of the Interrogation Rooms. Gibbs had not returned from Abby yet when she came up from Autopsy with Ducky. She seemed pretty calm except for the tears streaming down her cheeks. But they were drying now.

Elena Ryker voluntarily came in to identify her sister's remains since her parents were out of the country at the moment. Thomas and Helen Ryker were in Dubai on a fifteenth honeymoon. Elena's blue eyes were pink and puffy. She appeared amiable but then he remembered Claire Downes and shivered at the thought that appearances were not everything.

"Are they making plans to return soon?" Tim asked kindly.

Elena had blonde hair, cut short around the shoulders and a sweet temperament. She appeared nothing like her sister. Dressed in a blue shirt with jeans and boots, she wore a black sweater over her clothes since it was starting to get colder.

"I haven't called them yet." Elena's voice quivered with sobs. "My father's not the type to fly back for these things."

Tim was shocked. "His daughter was just killed."

"They're due to arrive back tomorrow anyway." Elena shrugged. "Dad was never the emotional one. I'll let him know after I'm through here. Why not spoil their last night?"

Letting it go, Tim straightened his notepad on the table. "When was the last time you saw your sister?"

"Sunday." Elena flexed her hands, folding them together. "She was happy for once. Practices were going well. She felt healthy enough to really make a name for herself this year."

"She did a good job making a name for herself last year." Tim commented.

"That was her version of a wake up call." Elena shook her head wiping a tear away with her hand. "Always did want to make everyone pay attention. She had the skills, the determination to make it happen but sometimes she was so fixed on the end she forgot she had to get there."

Abby emailed him about what she told Gibbs. "Was she working on something, a project, trying out new equipment?"

Elena shrugged. "Dez didn't brag when it came to that kind of thing. She could keep secrets when she needed to. I know she signed on a new sponsor two months back. Taylor Sports. There was talk that Katlin Meyers was being signed so when Dez was approached, it shocked everyone. Dez signed immediately more to get back at Katlin for their fight a while back."

"Over what?" Tim was suspicious of Katlin Meyers now.

"Dez didn't say." Elena leaned back. "She hated talking about negative stuff, preferred to keep our conversations light. It was a pretty big fight since they stopped talking after that."

"Did she have any other enemies or problems with other skaters?" Tim knew the questions needed to be asked.

She thought for a moment then shook her head again. "No, just Katlin. They're both hot heads when they want to be. Sometimes I'll go and watch her practices to show moral support when she's, was, having difficult times. My parents paid for everything but they had no vested interest in her skating until last year when she shocked the world. But that didn't last long. Now they pretty much leave her alone but they might've gone to her competitions." Elena paused. "Recently, Dez was over the moon about someone. I know her well enough to catch on when she's got the hots for someone."

"You know who he is?" Tim felt the Gibbs stare on his back.

A quick glance over his shoulder verified Gibbs arrived. He waited in the threshold since the door remained open. He leaned against the doorframe watching the sister.

"Dez liked girls, Agent McGee." Elena smiled. "She didn't advertise it but she mentioned she skated with the girl over our usual Sunday dinner get-togethers. All she called her 'Little G'. I didn't press since I know Dez can be very aggressive when it comes to that subject."

Tim nodded. "We'll look into it." He stood up and slid over his card to Elena Ryker. "In the mean time, if you think of anything else, please give me call."

"Sure thing, Agent McGee." Elena nodded standing herself.

Gibbs left the conference room.

**Chapter Nineteen**

Ducky watched the young woman in the next room over from the discrete Observation Room. He stood with his arms at his side, studying the woman at Jethro's request. Thus far he only saw an ambitious woman who seemed to only think of herself. Her patience was growing thin since Jethro left her there to simmer in her attitude. He knew the routine.

Katlin Meyers leaned back in the chair in Interrogation Room One, her hands flat on the table facing the mirror. Dressed her jogging outfit, she was about to go on a rum when NCIS showed up to escort her here to this room. She hated thinking about having to answer more stupid questions.

Katlin straightened when the door opened and Gibbs entered the room. He closed the door softly and with very specific movements. Though it looked like his eyes were focused down at the floor, he was noting Katlin Meyers response.

He walked across the floor to the table, taking the side closest to the mirror. Every move was calculated to aggravate Miss Meyers. She was taking the bait, slouching her shoulders, narrowing her eyes at him.

"Took you long enough." She huffed. "When am I gonna get my skates back?

Gibbs paused before he sat down, arranging the folder on the table before him, then laid his hands flat. "You and Desdemona had a fight."

"And?" Katlin shrugged. "Everyone does from time to time. We're competitors. Is this what this is about? A little fight over a stupid guy?"

He spoke softly. "What is the guy's name?"

"Neither of us was dating him if that's what you're thinking." Katlin folded her arms. ""Jeff Karnes is hardly worth losing a friendship over."

"Who is Jeff Karnes?"

"Another skater." Katlin leaned her elbows on the table and considered the older agent. "He's been practicing at the arena lately. Just transferred from the west coast to work with Coach Morgan and Jaime Kingsley. Jaime's his main coach but works with Mr. Morgan on choreography. Besides, he's dating Georgia Reyes. Everyone knows that."

"Then why the fight?"

"Dez had a wild hair…" Katlin caught herself wondering if the older guys knew the lingo nowadays. "She was pissed off at Jeff. Said she caught him at the rink the night before with another chick."

"This other chick have a name?"

"Claire." Katlin rolled her eyes. "Downes. She's screwing everyone practically. Coach Morgan, the concession guy, Jeff, several other skaters I know who train there. Who knows who else she's been shacking up with lately. The girl gets around."

Gibbs realized he learned enough. He got up and left Interrogation Room One with less respect for some athletes. There was another avenue to pursue in the investigation.

**Chapter Twenty**

Gibbs walked into the main office for Taylor Sports walking up to the pretty blonde with brown eyes answering the phone, the person on the other end did most of the talking. Clearly she was the administrative assistant to the higher executives on the floor. The gray shaded waiting room was surrounded by glass, photos of athletes hung in glass frames on the walls, and little else. Gray couches were placed opposite one another with a low glass table between them. It appeared a bit dingy to him. Taylor Sports was an older sporting goods company.

"I'll transfer you to his voicemail." The assistant finally hung up, Gloria typed into the name tag on her suit pocket. "Fred's out sick today, Mark."

The woman's eyes finally set on Agent Gibbs, giving him a careful scrutiny. Apparently she liked what she saw, smiling kindly at him then winked. A large mouth opened to ask but Gibbs was ahead of her.

"I'd like to speak to the person handling Desdemona Ryker." He took out his credentials not giving the woman time to ask what he needed.

"Special Agent L. Jethro Gibbs." She read his name out loud. "That would be Jason Coulters." She nodded touching her headset her eyes leaving Gibbs. "Jason?" She paused. "Yes, there's an NCIS agent here on behalf Miss Ryker." She paused once more. "Yes, I'll send him back."

Gibbs smiled slightly replacing his credentials back into his pocket.

"Through the doors behind you, left, head to the back corner, last office on the right."

He nodded towards Gloria and left her behind. Gloria let her eyes follow the agent until he went through the doors and disappeared out of sight. She smiled and went back to work answering the phones.

TO BE CONTINUED…


	21. Episode 7: Skating Dead Part 3

**NCIS Season 9**

**Episode 9.6.3**

**SKATING DEAD**

**By: Lady JenDragon**

**Disclaimer: **NCIS ain't mine, I'm over it.

**Author's Notes: **I've tacked something on the end of the story...

* * *

**SKATING DEAD**

**PART THREE**

**Chapter Twenty-One**

Tim McGee returned to the arena in search of Jeff Karnes. Gibbs went to interview the representative for Taylor Sports while he was tasked with tracking down the point of an argument between Katlin Meyers and Desdemona Ryker.

Jeff was in the rink running back and forth on a pair of brown skates tied with black laces. He appeared oblivious of the NCIS agent watching him. When Tim walked forward into the light of the practice rink, did Jeff realize someone was watching him practice.

"I don't know who you are!" Jeff came to an abrupt halt near McGee. "This rink's off limits to paparazzi."

"Agent Timothy McGee with NCIS." Tim pulled out his credentials for Jeff to read. "I'm investigating the death of Desdemona Ryker."

Jeff did not react to the agent. "I heard about Dez this morning." He shook his head. "Shame to lose such a talent."

"So everyone agrees." Tim took out his notepad and a pen. "Where were you last night?"

"Home." Jeff skated over to the edge. "I usually go to bed early, around nine-thirty. I like to get up early and hit the gym."

Tim noted the red nose and the puffy eyes. "You go to the gym yesterday?"

Jeff Karnes was recently sick, he concluded. His footwork was off this morning running back and forth. He was having difficulty breathing through his nose. McGee observed enough skating competitions with Sarah to know how skaters responded when they skated a competition while sick. Jeff displayed all the symptoms.

"No." Jeff sneezed. "I've had a cold for the last week. Tried going Monday since I felt a bit better but I ended up sleeping in after I shut off the alarm. I went to the doctor's on Tuesday afternoon for something to fight this off. Regs limit what over the counter stuff we can take. Doctor's know what we can and can't take. Cold's suck. I need to get back into the game for Nationals coming up."

Tim smiled. "You finished just off the podium last year."

"You watch?"

"With my sister." Tim nodded. "She used to dream about winning a gold medal at the Olympics."

"Understand." Jeff smiled then. "I've got two sisters myself."

"They skate?" Tim wanted to know.

"No." He shook his head. "No inclination. But they're my biggest fans."

"We know Dez caught you with Claire Downes even though you're dating Georgia Reyes." Tim watched the smile disappear from Jeff's face.

"Yeah." There was more than a guilty look on his face as he glanced around the rink to verify they were alone. "Caught us Monday night after practice. Dez blew a fuse over it, demanded I tell Georgia. I've never seen her so pissed."

"Dez felt protective of Georgia?"

Jeff paused before he responded. "Dez had a thing for Georgia but she's like, straight. Georgia never caught on that Dez preferred girls over guys. She was always sweet to Dez because Dez liked to spend time hanging. Georgia's more socialite than athlete but people like her. So does the media."

"She is sweet, isn't she." Tim agreed. "A bit too sweet?"

"Georgia didn't put out." Jeff shrugged self consciously. "We're dating for the publicity only. Dez didn't catch on to it, no one did. Not the first time skaters have done it."

"Why for the publicity?"

"Keeps us in the media." Jeff sighed. "People forgetting figure skating exists. It's a dying sport these days. The more drama there is, the more people remember we're here."

Tim nodded. "Hymm…" He paused. "Dez was working on something that would light up Nationals."

Jeff frowned then looked directly at McGee. "You know about the skates?"

"Special skates?" McGee nodded to see where it took him. "Said you were involved."

Jeff looked down towards the ice. "Yeah, Dez was trying them out for us. Took us more than four years to design and construct them. Coach Morgan said it would be okay to practice with the skates on the side but not in competition. The figure skating gurus had to approve them before they could be used in competition."

"I'm going to need those skates now?"

Jeff suddenly got nervous but then thought better about refusing to hand over the skates to NCIS. Sometimes, Tim liked having a badge. If only Tony were here to see him now?

**Chapter Twenty-Two**

Gibbs sat in front of Jason Coulters desk. The office was sparsely decorated with furniture. His desk was set in front of wood paneling with two single chairs facing the desk. Behind him was a large oversized gray sofa with a table at each end. The low glass table separated the sofa from a white leather lounger. Above the sofa on glass shelves were numerous photos in plain black frames. Jason Coulters was a proud man of his many photos of the athletes he represented and worked with over the years spread out across the walls and set around the room.

"I was shocked when I heard about Dez." Jason sat behind his large desk, leaning back in his chair with a fake expression of shock on his face. Then he blew his nose. "Sorry, I'm getting over a cold."

"You recently signed Desdemona Ryker to a contract?"

Jason nodded. "Yes, we chose her over Katlin Meyers since her phenomenal comeback last year. Being a Navy enlisted would also make us look better."

"How did Katlin Meyers react?"

"She didn't know we were considering her for a contract." Jason regarded the NCIS agent. "Her progress over the last two years was good but not exceptional."

"Only the best for Taylor Sports?" Gibbs offered.

"Yes." Jason stood up suddenly. "People love the underdog coming back and winning the competition."

"Desdemona Ryker didn't win the competition."

"Close enough." Jason picked up a frame from his desk that faced him, his eyes staring at intently. "When she placed second at Nationals, we all knew that was an amazing feat to many who knew her long history. Then she arrived at Worlds, none expected her to do so well. She beat more than eighteen skaters to take that Bronze medal."

Gibbs considered the meaning of his statement.

**Chapter Twenty-Three**

Night fell upon McGee efforts to narrow down his list of suspects. Tim wandered around the arena looking for something to help him figure out what was going on around here. There were plenty of suspects but no one was coming to the front of the list.

He came across the janitor, Rusty Gugino, a second-generation immigrant from Austria. Though his name was deceiving, he was not an ethnic Austrian. His parents traveled around Europe for ten years before deciding to head for the United States. Not even he knew his nationality. Rusty was known as a quiet sort of man but pleasant to talk to about the operations of the arena. Very knowledgeable about hockey as well according to his boss.

"Rusty Gugino?" Tim glanced at his notepad to get his name right.

The tall gangly man looked up at Agent McGee. "I've seen you around lately." His voice was medium with a slightly lisp on the end. "Finding out who killed the ice lady."

"Yes." Tim nodded approaching the janitor with a mop in his hands. "I was hoping you could tell me more about two nights back. You were the last to leave Tuesday night. Did you see or hear anything before you left?"

Rusty stopped his mop. "I lock up after everyone leaves." He shrugged. "Nothing much to tell. Skaters finished up their practicing around seven. Then Morgan and Karnes were here till nine working on their little skate project."

"You see Dez here that night?"

"Yup." Rusty rested an arm on his mop handle. "She left the women's locker room all mad at something Karnes said. They were fighting. Later, she went back after she cooled off. Someone was coming to look at something."

"Lovers?" Tim led in.

Rusty shook his head. "Nah. Dez was hot after Georgia Reyes. You could see it in her eyes. Karnes boy was pissed off Georgia wasn't putting out for him so he blamed Dez for all her advice giving to Georgia to keep him at arms length. How bad it is for training and such."

Tim's eyes widened. "You heard the fight?"

"Yeah." Rusty nodded. "Anyone in the arena would've heard it."

"You see Desdemona leave the building?"

Rusty thought before he answered. "No. Karnes told me she left before he and Morgan did around eleven. They were the last ones out."

That got Tim's attention. "You see Karnes and Morgan?"

"Saw Karnes, but not Morgan." Rusty shrugged and began mopping again. "Morgan remained in the secondary rink, I heard his voice. Think he might've had a cold though. Didn't sound like him, was wheezing and coughing a lot."

"Thanks." Tim noted it down in his notes then he let Rusty get back to work without any more interruptions.

**Chapter Twenty-Four**

Gibbs arrived in Autopsy on the phone. He wore the gray blazer and red polo shirt from earlier. Today was going to be a late day trying to tie up the loose ends in the case.

"Thanks, Tim." He closed the phone.

Ducky stood by his desk waiting for Jethro to walk to him.

"You have something, Duck?"

"Time of death was ten-forty five or thereabouts." He shook his head. "I've been running through the calculations with her being left on the ice as she was."

"McGee just interviewed the janitor of the arena who identified Morgan, Karnes, and Ryker as the last three people in the arena." Gibbs had no clear motive yet.

"Timothy updated me as well to include in my profile of the killer." Ducky lifted a photo of Desdemona Ryker from the crime scene at the arena. "This was done by a male most likely. Abby sent me a copy of her recreation of the crime. From the angle of the blade slicing across Miss Ryker's throat, her killer stood above her."

"Karnes stands more than seven inches taller than Ryker." Gibbs leaned against the slab table near Ducky's desk.

"So does Coach Morgan." Ducky pointed out. "This was a crime of chance. The killer was shocked it happened. The blade leaves the wound and tapers off in depth as the blade crosses from the killer left to right, or Rykers right to left. It's deepest where it sliced into flesh then shallows before it reaches the other side of the neck."

"Tim confiscated the skates Jeff Karnes was wearing." Gibbs knew his next stop. "If Abby can match the blade to the wound and the dust, we got our killer."

"Abby's at the hospital with Ziva visiting Anthony." Ducky informed Gibbs. "You won't get any answers tonight."

Gibbs sighed deeply then.

"The killers will be caught, Jethro." Ducky leaned against the desk.

Then the Autopsy phone rang, prompting both men to look at the black phone. At eight o'clock in the evening, one hardly expected a call. Ducky faced the phone and noted the source. He smiled as he picked up the receiver.

"Autopsy." Ducky listened to Hach's voice on the other end. "Yes, Jethro's here, Hach." He paused. "Right." The call ended, Ducky put the phone back on its receiver. "It seems the skate is a match for the wound and the dust on Desdemona's hand. There was also a secondary blood type found in the seam."

"Dr. Hature ran the skates?" Gibbs eyed Ducky who seemed to enjoy this new version of the MCRT.

"For Abby." Ducky kept himself from smirking. "It's odd isn't it?"

His mind was focused on the case but guessed Ducky's point. "Someone helping Abby out?"

It was so obvious but Jethro made a point not to be accurate. "Abby finally trusts someone enough to share her lab."

That made Gibbs smile. Ducky had a point. This was the first person Abby Sciuto trusted to be in her lab at the same time as her. No one on the team thought this day would ever come. But here it was, a person Abby trusted with her equipment. Dr. Hature was not just anyone in NCIS. She was the Director of Forensics.

**Chapter Twenty-Five**

Tim felt guilty for leaving after turning in the skates to Hach to head over to the hospital to visit Tony. Ziva and Abby were already there by the time he arrived. They ordered pizza and snuck it into the room in a biohazard bag. Now that he was in the office this morning, he had to face the remainder of the day.

Hach arrived in the Gibbs' den to deliver her report from her finding of the night before. "Agent McGee, you look guilty."

Tim checked around for Gibbs and whispered. "I went to the hospital last night."

"I know." Hach smirked. "The night staff were pretty wound up about the floor smelling like pizza all last night."

Tim grimaced then scratched his head until Hach smiled.

"It's all right, Agent McGee." Hach laid the report on Gibbs' desk eyeing the various photos on his bulletin board above the desktop on the half-wall. "Everyone sneaks food into the hospital at some point. Agent DiNozzo's being released at eleven this morning. Are you going?"

Gibbs arrived at the office in a black blazer, light blue polo, white t-shirt, khaki slacks with his boots and the telltale coffee in his hand.

"Not until we close this case, McGee." He ignored Hach standing in the middle of the isle between McGee desk and his.

"Karnes and Morgan are already on their way here." Tim announced as Hach left the office leading back towards the lab.

Gibbs took out his phone and dialed a number. There was one more person they needed to come in today for a follow up interview.

**Chapter Twenty-Six**

Jeff Karnes sat at the table across from Tim McGee in Interrogation Room One. He was shocked when Gibbs gave him the lead on this one. He took that as a compliment and decided to play it straight with these people.

"Agent McGee?" Jeff leaned on his folded arms on the table.

Tim continued reading the file opened before him on the table.

"You and Zach Morgan were collaborating on the design and testing of a new type of skate?"

Jeff nodded. "Yeah. Morgan's idea. But he couldn't design worth a damn so I got involved. In high school I made my own shoes for chemistry class. Designed the soles out of rubber I created in my garage and stuff. Won the science fair with it."

Tim eyed Karnes sternly. "So you got Desdemona Ryker to try the skates?"

Jeff nodded. "Yeah. We needed to find out if the idea would work on male and female skaters. I was already trying them out. Dez was juiced at the idea of being involved in the testing phase."

Time to lay on the pressure on Jeff Karnes.

"So which one of you killed Dez?" Tim dropped his hands on the table. "Did she threaten to tell someone you'd been using the skates in competition?"

Jeff's eyes widened. "No one even knew!"

"Dez figured it out, didn't she?" Tim thought about the whole scenario. "Did she use them herself at Nationals and Worlds last year?"

"No!" Jeff straightened his back in agitation. "I wouldn't let her do that. Not that she would've done anything to jeopardize her reputation. She wanted an edge but it had to be legit for her to use anything in competition."

Tim leaned back. "So you killed her then."

Jeff seemed incapable of speaking. His eyes welled up, the guilt clear on his face. But was it guilt over murder or because he got caught with illegal skates? Or both? Or because Dez was after him due to his fidelity issues with Georgia Reyes?

"I…no…I…" Jeff went silent after that.

Tim got to his feet and left the room while Jeff simmered in his mind.

**Chapter Twenty-Seven**

Tim met Gibbs in the hallway between Interrogation Room One and Interrogation Room Two.

"He knows something." He kept his voice low.

Abby came around the corner in her white lab coat, black shirt, plaid skirt with a chain belt, her hair in pigtails. Gibbs was told that Abby arrived back late last night but she called him anyway to let him know around midnight. It was their way of doing things.

"Gibbs!" She walked quickly up to McGee and Gibbs. "I finished watching all the competitions from last year. Desdemona Ryker didn't wear the prototype skates in competition."

"We know." Gibbs responded. "Dr. Hature finished running the competitions last night too."

Tim added. "However, Jeff Karnes did wear them."

Abby appeared disappointed then she fisted her hand and slugged Tim in the shoulder.

"Ow!" Tim kept his voice low. "What was that for?"

Abby turned to Gibbs. "There was more than one blood type at the scene. Desdemona lost the most but someone else was there who also bled out. The blood we found at the scene contained traces of erythromycin. The chemical analysis just came in Hach ran over night."

"The antibiotic?" Tim frowned. "Karnes was recently sick. He might have been taking that."

"It's not his blood type." Abby shook her head and smiled at Tim. "I checked Morgan's as well. It's neither of them."

Gibbs suddenly knew who his killer was.

**Chapter Twenty-Eight**

Jason Coulters sat in Interrogation Room Two sitting at the table facing the mirror. His expression was blank, his hands folded on the table. He patiently waited for Agent Gibbs to arrive to explain why he was brought to NCIS under these alarming circumstances.

"Who are you?" Jason eyed the younger man who walked into the room.

Tim McGee pulled out the chair similar to how he observed Gibbs had done so many times before. He sat down slowly, checking out of the corner of his eye if the suspect responded to the display.

"NCIS Special Agent Tim McGee, Mr. Coulters." Tim sat down across from the Taylor Sports. "I'm doing a follow-up interview since Agent Gibbs paid you a visit yesterday."

"He asked me questions about Dez Ryker."

Tim kept his face blank. "We're you having an affair with Desdemona Ryker?"

Jason appeared shocked at the accusation. "Wh…what?"

Tim continued. "You aren't married, no kids from girlfriends past, and no current social attachments. I know, I checked. Agent Gibbs said in his report that you picked up her photo and stared at it longingly. We're you having an affair with Desdemona Ryker?"

Jason took a deep breath. "I wouldn't have minded. Dez was a rather pretty woman. Taylor Sports expects us to keep our talent happy."

"That include hooking them up?" Tim knew he had a way in now.

"Whatever they want." Jason shrugged, pressing his lips together. "Whatever they ask for, I try to get them what they request."

"What did Dez ask you to do?"

Jason took another long, deep breath in. "She wanted me to look at some skates."

"The ones Zack Morgan and Jeff Karnes designed and created?"

"Yeah." Jason continued cautiously. "Said it might take Taylor Sports to another level. Naturally I was intrigued that a talent would waste her influence on new equipment. I figured I'd make her happy this one time."

"But you were attracted to her."

"Yes." Jason saw no reason to hide the fact now. "But she didn't see me as anything more than her representative."

"Bet that made you angry."

"No, I'm a patient man." Jason smiled at that moment. "I figured if I held off I could make my move once I saw the skates."

"But you didn't know Dez was gay." Tim noted the anger return in Jason Coulter's eyes. "You looked at the skates, had them in your hands. Then someone lets slip that Dez is lesbian and you lose it. You confront her, blame her for leading you on all this time, then you swing the skate at her acting out your frustration. Maybe to frighten her a little. But you go too far and it slices into her neck. The blood projects everywhere, catches you off guard. You panic, drop the skate and run."

Jason's eyes dilated at the memory. "I…no…it never happened…"

Tim got up from the table at that moment. "We have the skates, your suit from the dry cleaners you took to have blood cleaned out of the jacket and trousers. We also have a janitor that places you at the arena at the time of the murder. At first we thought you were Zack Morgan but he had an alibi for that night. See you in fifty years." He moved to leave the room.

Jason got up. "No…"

Tim halted at the door, his hand on the handle.

**Chapter Twenty-Nine**

Jeff Karnes stared at Agent Gibbs through red puffy eyes. He shivered in his chair, his elbows on the table. He leaned his head into his hands, having issues with the truth.

"We know Jason Coulters was there." He kept his voice low, his blue steely gaze never left Jeff. "He was there to see your skates Morgan and you created. Dez asked him to take a look at the skates you made. She cared enough to give you a shot even though she caught you with Claire Downes."

He paused for a long time to give Jeff time to speak up. But he said nothing, guilty of something as he sat across the table. So he continued, his voice low.

"You were away from them when the argument started. Jason accused Dez of leading him on, being a tease." He noticed the twitch in Jeff's shoulders indicating he was on the right track. "But then Jason sliced her with the skate across the neck."

He waited but Jeff said nothing. "The amount of blood spooked you. So you raced over to try to help. You were able to wrestle the skate from Jason nicking him with the blade. His blood was found between the blade and the boot."

Nothing yet.

"You ran from the scene with the skate in your hands." Gibbs played out the scenario in his head. "You couldn't stay there. But you went back, didn't you?"

Jeff lifted his eyes to Gibbs then looked away.

"You found her where she fell." Gibbs knew he had the right witness. "So you moved her to the main rink. You cared for her after all. Made sure she'd be found."

Jeff shook his head. Gibbs raised his hand and slammed it on the table. Jeff Karnes jumped so hard, he nearly fell backward with the chair.

"Tell me what happened." Gibbs folded his hands, set his elbows on the table and studied Jeff Karnes watching him from across the table.

"I…" Tears streamed from his eyes now, his voice quivered as he spoke. "He was consumed with his lust, he didn't know Dez was gay. How could you not? She didn't hide it. But I didn't care what she was. Dez was a good friend."

"The argument broke out…"

"Jason shouted all sorts of insults at Dez." He folded his hands, pushing them between his knees. "She was shocked just as I was. But Dez wasn't one to back down. Threw things back in his face that he was a typical guy, always using his position to get his way with women. That he was a loser." Jeff took a deep breath. "He swore her contract with Taylor Sports was at an end. Then he swung the skate at her, she dodged it the first time. Jason thought it would scare her and took a step forward and swung again. He got her the second time. The blood…it went everywhere." Jeff covered his face. "I panicked, I ran and wrestled the skate from Jason and…ran for it. I left everything there."

"What was Zack Morgan's roll in this?" Gibbs needed to know.

"He wasn't there." He shook his head. "Dez wanted it kept hush hush. I told Rusty that Morgan and I was there working on some last minute choreography. Coach Morgan usually went home after gym time. Sometimes he goes out to dinner for a light meal. But Dez came straight to the rink afterwards since she set up the meet with Jason from Taylor Sports."

"You went back to the arena." Gibbs wanted the whole story.

"Yeah." Jeff became more confident. "I freaked out but I got my head back together. An hour later, I went back to the arena. The door was locked but I knew where there's a window in without setting off the perimeter alarms. The security guard they have on duty sleeps on the job so I knew I wouldn't get busted for getting back in. I got back to the rink and found Dez and Jason gone. The blood was gone too, like someone cleaned it up. I didn't want to know so I grabbed by bag and took off."

"You didn't think to report this?"

Jeff looked to Gibbs. "And who would believe me without a body?" He shook his head. "She was gone when I got back. Once news broke she was found on the center ice, I knew Jason placed her there. The one time Dez made it there." His head lowered. "It wasn't fair, Agent Gibbs."

Jeff Karnes began to cry

Gibbs rolled his eyes then looked at the ceiling hoping for patience.

**Chapter Thirty**

Tim sat across the table with his arms folded waiting for Jason Coulters to admit to the crime. The evidence piled up against him and irrefutable. Abby and Hach did their jobs well and found what he needed to close the case.

"We have your blood, your prints, and a witness that places you at the arena at ten-thirty that night." Tim refrained from smiling. "It was you not Zack Morgan there."

He paused for effect then kept going. "We know Dez asked you to meet with her. Bet you thought she was inviting you for a little play time."

Jason nodded that was what he thought at the time. Tim stayed silent then. He shrugged, lifted his eyebrows and leaned back. This would take little effort for someone like Jason Coulters to spill the truth.

"Ok, yes. I was at the arena." His mind worked over time. "Dez wanted me to see the damn skates. So I saw them."

"And you were expecting something more…" Tim led in.

"I was hoping we'd go out afterwards." Jason leaned forward. "Maybe go back to my place."

"And then she told you she wasn't into guys." Tim knew how it played out.

"When I found out Dez was…gay, I over reacted. But it was that Karnes kid who came and yanked the skate out of my hand. When he did that, it swung out and sliced Dez across the neck. The kid freaked and ran for it." Jason paused then stated. "It was an accident."

Tim got to his feet. "There's only one problem with your story." He paused for drama. "You were the only one close enough to Dez when the blade cut her. The clothes Jeff Karnes wore that night has no blood spatter on it. We searched his house and his locker after our interview with him. Desdemona was already on the floor by the time he reached you to wrestle his prototype skate from you. Your blood dropped on the floor exactly where the person who's responsible for Desdemona Ryker's death was standing."

"I admit I was a bit angry." Jason wanted to be heard. "I never expected the blade to be so sharp."

"You killed her over your obsession to have sex with one of your athletes." Tim leaned towards Jason Coulters. "I wonder what Taylor Sports will think of you for over stepping your boundaries and killing the talent. Leading you on, making you think she was hot for you. Bet you thought she deserved what she got."

Jason's face contorted in anger. "She did deserve it!"

He flipped the table up as McGee took a quick step back against the wall. The table fell on its side followed by Jason Coulters lunging for him. Slightly surprised by the temper flare, Tim realized he had to be in control of the situation.

**Chapter Thirty-One**

Gibbs heard the commotion in the hallway once he left Jeff Karnes in Interrogation Room One. He kicked the door open to Interrogation Room Two as Jason Coulters fell backwards against the wall just to the right of him. Tim appeared to have a split lip and a bruise forming on his left cheek but he was in control of the situation.

Jason growled as the shock of slamming into the wall wore off, aiming for Agent McGee. His eyes were set squarely on the agent and he pounced. Gibbs bent his arm and took one step forward, ramming it into Coulters neck. He went down unconscious.

"Thanks, boss." Tim sighed at the intervention.

"What the hell, McGee." Gibbs looked down at Jason Coulters.

Two security guards rushed around Gibbs into the room to take Jason Coulters into custody. His confession and attack on a NCIS agent were recorded for later charges. All in all, it was a good night for his team.

"I had him, boss." Tim felt pretty confident he would have taken Jason Coulter down if Gibbs had not interfered. "It was my first violent suspect."

"Good job, Tim." Gibbs left Interrogation Room Two. "Now go get DiNozzo."

Tim checked his watch. "Damn."

And left immediately.

**Chapter Thirty-Two**

Tony hated being wheeled out in public as a patient. The gauge head wrap would remain for another three weeks while he rested and healed at home. Hach warned him that any attempt to return to agent duties early would result in her hiring a nurse with arms the size of train cars and a penchant for stuffing food down his throat.

The nurse controlled his slow exit from his hospital prison with a calculated route designed to drive him mad with the fear he would never escape. He hunched over, leaning on one arm as he was wheeled in a change of street clothes towards the main entrance.

There waiting for him were Ziva David, Abby Sciuto, and Tim McGee. Suddenly, he could not help the smile on his face.

"You made it!" Tony opened his arms wide happy to escape the hospital finally.

"Of course." Ziva was just as happy to see Tony leave the hospital as she had been. "We couldn't leave you here."

"Geez, McWreck." Tony spotted the darkening bruise and the split lip. "You look like…"

"Got into a fight with a suspect." Tim smiled proud of his injuries. "Gibbs couldn't be here, he had to file the report and book the suspect."

"He finally got his NCIS merit badge." Abby smiled at Tim.

"So who did it this time?" Tony wanted updates.

"Taylor Sports rep." Abby jumped in to take over from the nurse. "He got mad Dez Ryker was gay and cut her throat."

The nurse gave Abby a once over then stepped aside and returned to the hospital. It was then a tan Rolls Royce pulled up silently next to them at the curb. No one noticed it since neither of them were expecting it. However, Abby smiled upon seeing it.

"Ouch." Tony shook his head. "Glad I missed the fun. Who's driving?"

Abby wheeled him towards the Rolls Royce. It was then Tim and Ziva turned and stopped to note the very expensive vehicle. They exchanged a quick glance.

"Hach is…well her driver anyway." Abby replied. "I asked her to borrow it."

Tim looked to Ziva both impressed that Dr. Hature had a Rolls Royce in her possession. Tony stared at the luxurious vehicle as Abby encouraged him to stand.

"She let you borrow this?" Ziva queried over her shoulder at Abby.

Abby smiled brightly. "Yep. With his head injury, I was totally freaking out about what car we should use to come get him this morning. You know how hinkey NCIS gets when we use the vehicles for personal use and such. I knew we need something with a seriously smooth ride to keep our Tony from hurting any more than he needs to. She mentioned she had a Rolls Royce. So I asked her if we could borrow it. She said she would have her driver come down from Norfolk and get us from the hospital to take Tony home."

"Here I thought she hated me." Tony winced at how she looked him over without really seeing him during her visits. "She's always giving me the evil eye."

"You need the evil eye." Tim mused.

Ziva reached over to Tony now standing, pinching a cheek. "See, Hach does care about our very special little Agent Tony DiNozzo."

Tony pouted at that moment, resenting his cheek was pinched. Tim opened the back passenger door, motioning for Tony to enter. He hesitated, contemplating the owner who showed him more chill than warmth. Ziva poked him in the head with her finger.

"Ow!" Tony winced, his hand raised to fend off her poking finger. "That's tender, Ziva!"

"Get in the car, Tony." Ziva ordered.

Tony crawled into the seat, sliding over to the opposite window. Tim, Ziva and lastly Abby piled into the car and closed the door. The Rolls pulled away from the curb leaving the wheelchair next to curb. Laughing could be heard emanating from the Rolls driving away from the hospital.

THE END

* * *

**Author's Note: **Forgot to do this on the other episodes I wrote.

_NEXT TIME on NCIS _

_Ducky gets a death threat from an old nemesis while Gibbs and his team are still on the hunt to locate and capture the Reaper…_


	22. Episode 8: Nemesis Part 1

**NCIS Season 9**

**Episode 9.8.1**

**Nemesis**

**By: Lady JenDragon**

**Disclaimer: **NCIS is not mine. And we're walking…

**Author's Notes:** I would've updated sooner but my fingers really needed a break.

I intend to ignore Season 9 for now and will continue writing the stories as I have them slated. I have the next eight (8) episodes already planned out and in various forms of being written. The next episode is already written and awaiting my limited editing skills.

Please keep in mind that I prefer to maintain the link between the show and my storylines as much as possible (unless the NCIS writers do something REALLY, REALLY stupid). It keeps my ideas more plausible in the NCIS-verse with the exception of the end of Season 8 and early Season 9. My goal is that you won't be disappointed with how it all goes down in my Season 9. Keep me posted if I falter. I guess it is a bit too late to repost all these stories as Season 10, eh?

Thank you to all those who have reviewed thus far. This helps me by letting me know how the stories turn out since I always complete my stories with a totally different ending than I intended. A good story always evolves itself. I LOVE WRITING!

So with this in mind, let's jump into the Duck Pond.

* * *

**NEMESIS**

**PART ONE**

**Chapter One**

For once there was no mystery, no crime to solve, no body to go off and retrieve, no reason to meet Leroy Jethro Gibbs and his elite Major Case Response Team at some strange address this fine gray morning. Senior Field Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo would not employ one of his 'Mc-Something' cracks in the presence of Junior Special Agent Timothy McGee. Agent McGee would not have to think of some higher form of intellect to throw an insult back at his fellow agent who behaved as only an older brother would. And Special Agent Ziva David would not need a come back to silence the Anthony DiNozzo charm once McGee failed to truly insult him.

The morning started off with an irrepressible feeling of being out of place since it was mid-week. No one died of anything else except natural causes over the frigid night hours before the chilly early November morning began. For once, the Navy did not lose one of its own on the streets of DC or at the hands of any number of possible killers looming around NCIS these days.

It was a rare day in the life of a medical examiner when there was nothing to do. For there was nothing to indicate anything was the matter at the NCIS Naval Yard.

There were days he felt his age catching up with him. There were days he stood in silence and marveled at the solitude he worked in most of his life with the exception of a few aides along the way. Yet, it brought him a sense of purpose. He felt contentment working each day to bring those who committed heinous crimes to their justified ends just by doing his job not only just well, but exemplary. He was not ready to relinquish the reins and turn to the life of a social retiree.

At least not yet.

Thus when he arrived at Autopsy late this morning, a nine am arrival rather than a seven am arrival, he spied the stack of mail on his desk and thought its presence was only normal. There were no pressing matters that required his immediate attention so he took the morning to sleep in late for once. He hung his coat and hat on the rack, as he always had, just inside the double doors leading to the hallway for those moments requiring an expedient and abrupt interruption of routine following the discovery of a victim. There was nothing out of place in his usual humdrum routine.

"And what a fine Wednesday morning it's been." Ducky commented to himself.

Dressed in a gray collared shirt, dark gray trousers, faded blue and yellow striped suspenders, and the Mallard fashion symbol bowtie, he left the coat rack at the door and walked towards his desk. He sighed once more before pulling out his chair and sat down with the intention of reading the morning mail. He was sure there was something he forgot to do and it would come to him eventually. Jimmy Palmer would bring down the morning paper following lunch so he could peruse the headlines at his leisure. Someone typically left a newspaper in the break area or near the vending machines most days so there was no need to pick one up on his way in to the office.

He sifted through the mail envelopes finding the typical range: internal requests from agents over their results, some were requests for profiling, and others were simple requests for opinions. Then there were the letters from outside NCIS that usually numbered in the single digits. And today one of them was a bright red envelope.

It was certainly cheerful for a gloomy Wednesday morning. The type a woman would send. But it was neither his birthday nor close to a holiday. Perhaps it was a card from his family in England? His relatives were always requesting he come to stay for a while. They were sure that being stuck in the United States all the time would drain the life out of him. He smirked as he opened the envelope with care.

Pulling out the cardboard folded in half, he paused. Taking a moment, he realized his family rarely sent letters, let alone cards. Perhaps he was mistaken after all. Upon opening the folded cardboard, his eyes froze at the large letters greeting him.

"Oh my…" Ducky was at a loss for words.

He looked up then and over his shoulder finding he was suddenly alone.

**Chapter Two**

Tim McGee ran yet another search over night that proved pointless. The Reaper disappeared and went deep under cover. Like he disappeared into thin air. Gibbs would be upset there was nothing on the radar with the Reaper. The shock of discovering Jasper Shepard's illegitimate son from a secret military cloning project, which turned out to be nothing more than a baby-making project, was nothing compared to his being raised as a mercenary.

"Between the Reaper and Perfecto, we're just everywhere." Tim muttered as his fingers danced across his keyboard opening files.

Ziva had not arrived yet and Tony was still on mandatory leave after surviving their first encounter with the Reaper. It was not even a full week out of the hospital and Tony was already begging to come back to do something. He hated staying home with nothing to do but think about going to work. Dr. Hature, Hach, already cleared Ziva for active duty but was blocking all of Tony's attempts to plead his case to the director. It was helpful having a M.D., PhD on staff at NCIS. She could patch them up as they went.

The last file he opened was for a new case in the upper New York state. "It appears Perfecto struck again." Tim realized that meant Abby would be leaving with in the hour to head up with the FBI team to analyze the evidence, if there was any, on or near the scene. "Gotta love those Feds having a mobile lab ready to go at a moments notice."

The mobile lab was probably already in route now that he thought about things. Nothing was on the roster for performing menial tasks at NCIS so that meant another day of research for Ziva and him. A smile formed on his lips thinking about how things remained the same yet changed recently. Namely the team came to mind. They were still together despite the length of time they worked side-by-side. Since Hach arrived as more of flex member of the team, her very presence reminded them why they were together in the first place.

"Nothing ever stays the same though." Tim reminded himself softly.

And the thought of their team dispersing gave him the chills. Shaking his head, Tim reminded himself that he was spending way too much time at NCIS lately. He prided himself on arriving early into the office so he could be the first to find something on whatever case came their way or dig into a new lead on old cases. Nothing had come across the Major Case Response Team desk since last week and that case was now officially closed. Not having Tony around made his early arrivals less significant. He missed the morning taunting. Then again, he would never say that out loud or admit it to anyone. It was then he noticed there was a figure standing just out of his peripherals off to his right.

Tim realized who it was. "What is it, Palmer?"

Palmer fidgeted before stepping forward with a card in his hands. "I…I was wondering if you were doing anything truly important at the moment, Agent McGee?"

Tim wanted to be angry but noticed the concerned expression on Jimmy's face. "Trying to locate the Reaper. Our new biggest fan."

Palmer nodded. "I'd heard about that." He seemed overly self-conscious today. "I'm here because Dr. Mallard doesn't think much of it. But…I…think it should be…well." He hesitated then leaned forward and dropped the card on McGee's hands.

Frustrated his search went nowhere, and now he had to deal with Jimmy Palmer who often avoided the simplest explanations for his actions, decided to drop a card on his desk. He sighed then decided he could vent later at the gym.

"Somebody sent Ducky a card?" Tim smirked.

Picking the card up, he opened it. The duck on the pond with a bright red hole in with blood drawn oozing out failed to capture any happy sentiment.

At the moment, Ziva David and Abby Sciuto arrived in the Gibbs' Den of the Squad Room. They were discussing something quite energetically between them as they slowed then stopped at Ziva's desk. Ziva dropped her bag then noticed his expression first. Abby noticed her expression then turned to face him.

"What is it, McGee?" Ziva walked towards McGee.

"Someone's sending Ducky death threats." Tim opened the card to show Abby and Ziva.

Abby walked up beside Ziva then looked to Tim.

Hach walked into the Squad Room next to Tim's desk expecting to find the team not yet arrived. She abruptly halted beside Tim McGee noting the expression of concern on everyone's faces. Palmer only glanced at her nervously and looked towards the floor clearly disturbed by her authority. The air of concern could be cut with a knife.

"What's going on now?" Hach asked kindly.

Tim held up the card to show her.

"Looks like you have a case." Hach replied taking the card from Tim with a pair of tweezers pulled from her inside pocket. "Abby and I will get this analyzed immediately."

Abby nodded resolutely. "Nobody messes with Ducky!"

Then Abby followed after Hach towards the lab.

**Chapter Three**

Not more than an hour later Tim McGee, Jimmy Palmer, Ziva David, Hach and Abby Sciuto congregated around Ducky sitting in his chair with the back against his desk in Autopsy. He turned when they arrived en masse to confront him about not taking the threat seriously. Especially with the Reaper roaming free.

"You didn't think it was important?" Abby was furious with her hands on her hips, tears welling up in her eyes. "Perfecto could kill at any time which means I have to leave, we almost just lost Tony and Ziva to the Reaper, and you didn't think this could be related?"

It was a rare sight at NCIS to find Abby Sciuto mad enough at Ducky to raise her lecture-like voice to echo proportions in Autopsy. Gibbs would arrive later in the morning after his meeting with the FBI over the progress of the Perfecto case since his crack NCIS forensic scientist was missing most days lately.

They decided to keep the threat among the team only for the moment. But that would be a task. Keeping anything hush-hush at NCIS required higher security clearance which all but one did not possess. If Vance or Gibbs got word of this, there would be more than a security detail on Ducky's residence.

"Abby's right, Ducky." Ziva nodded. "We have to take everything seriously whether it appears harmless or not."

Abby began pacing she was so mad.

"Abigail, my dear." Ducky tried to diffuse the situation. "This is just a meager attempt to gain some attention."

"You're darn right it's got our attention!" Abby fisted her hands tightly and pressed her lips together. "No one messes with Gibbs' team!"

Tim caught Abby in a hug and whispered softly next to her ear. Abby nodded she understood him and hugged him tightly sucking in a feeble sob. Her tears never leaked down her cheeks but they remained close to the edge.

Hach found the exchange endearing between the two.

"Director Vance should know about all death threats against NCIS personnel." Hach disliked resorting to quoting NCIS standard procedure at these times. "Abby and Ziva are correct that everyone among your team must take extra precaution since the Reaper has made his presence known."

Ducky knew he was out numbered. "You're all taking this much too seriously."

Tim shook his head letting Abby go. "We can't just let this go!" He had to ask approaching Ducky. "Anyone you know who could've done this?"

He blinked then Ducky looked at Timothy with an expression of a man with knowledge. "Of course I know who sent it."

Ziva and Abby exchanged a quick glance. Hach was not surprised since the doctor appeared rather calm. They would store this memory in case Ducky received future death threats.

"What?" Tim wanted to hear the answer again.

Ducky smiled then waved them off. "Now you know why I'm not all worked up about it."

Ziva and Tim moved to stand on either side of Dr. Mallard lifting him out of his chair. Hach found the protection of the medical examiner by NCIS agents a rare sight. According to Jimmy Palmer, his aid, they were a close team. She was beginning to see this now. And it also appeared that, in just the short amount of time she spent with the MCRT Naval Yard, Agent Gibbs was overly protective of his team. He would take this indiscretion personally according to her knowledge of the team.

"Let's go see who it is then." Ziva said sternly.

Ducky realized they intended that he take them to the sender of the death threat. "I take it there's no talking you two out of this, is there?"

Tim shook his head and Ziva only glared at him.

"Just as I suspected." Ducky began walking towards the door to collect his coat and hat.

And so another quiet morning disappeared over the confines of an unhappy card addressed to Dr. Donald Mallard, NCIS Naval Yard, Washington, District of Columbia.

**Chapter Four**

Tim and Ziva exchanged a glance on the porch of the large manor-type brownstone located in the Georgetown neighborhood. This was an expensive area of DC and the residents were none too keen on having their daily routine interrupted by NCIS double-parked in front of the aging house. It sat in disrepair for a number of years and only recently did it appear someone was living at the residence again.

Ziva allowed Tim to head up the stairs first, taking Ducky's arm. If anyone was going to try to take him out, they would have to get past her. Since she was not a hundred-percent back yet, that could be easier than a few weeks ago. She was on her guard extra these days.

"Classy house." Tim muttered as he rang the doorbell.

"Looks can be deceiving." Ziva glanced around when she reached McGee on the front porch. "These days, you just never know who you're dealing with anymore."

And did Tim know that one so well. The cases they had lately were nothing short of complicated. He was about to respond to Ziva when the front door locks creaked into the unlocked position.

The door shuddered before opening to an older man but certainly not dead. His white hair was meticulously groomed and cut. He wore an old sweater over a white collared shirt and black trousers with black shoes. He narrowed his gray-green eyes at Ducky ignoring the other two on the porch.

In a husky voice he spoke. "Finally responded, eh?"

He left the door wide open for them to enter the foyer then moved into the main hall so they all could enter. As if he understood why they were there, he kept going sure they were not there to rob him and the place. He paused at the main double doors left open into the living room, receiving room, as some called it.

Ducky noted the place had not changed since the last time he visited the old house. "Timothy, Ziva, meet Trevor Macelli, the man who almost got my job at NCIS."

Tim frowned then looked over at the other man. "You were to succeed Dr. Magnus?"

Trevor nodded lifting his chin. "Until I got caught." He made his way into the living room intending to get his business started. "In here! Time's a wasting."

The three followed Trevor Macelli into his living room. It was more dusty than elegant and most of the furniture was still covered in white sheets. One wing-backed chair was uncovered and a reading lamp sat next to it out of place. Only the wood grained walls of the wainscoting could be seen along with the swirled wallpaper than was almost a hundred years old on the walls. Unusual for a Living Room/Parlor to be decorated with wainscoting but his mother loved it. The age of the house suited him.

Ducky did not find humor in dragging Tim and Ziva out here with him. "He was caught dealing body parts from the dead who came into Autopsy over the course of four years. Trevor was to replace Dr. Magnus in two months time once he officially retired from NCIS. We were shocked when the investigation came home to roost at NCIS. For his part, Trevor got thirty years to life. He's out on parole at the moment."

Trevor waved Ducky off. "Eh, water under the bridge."

Tim frowned and wanted confirmation. "You sent Ducky the death threat?"

"Wouldn't think he'd bother to call after I got out." Trevor sat down in the lumpy, dusty wing-backed chair. "We'd been friends for a long time. Before everything went south." He looked up and around at the dusty room.

"You sent a death threat to the NCIS medical examiner." Ziva pointed out.

"Of course I did!" Trevor smirked folding his hands together, one over the other. "I told him he was dead years ago! Those bastards who took the money killed James Coltraine! But noooo, Donald 'Ducky' Mallard, medical examiner extraordinaire never listens to reason!"

"Who's James Coltraine?" Tim took out his notebook to write down the information.

Trevor sighed but it was Ducky who spoke. "James Coltraine was suspected of spearheading the organ selling ring. But no evidence was found to connect him to the ring except for other members who swore on the graves of their ancestors he was the leader. Any link was severed before NCIS moved in to arrest and no charges were ever brought against him."

"Soon after the ring was busted and we all went to jail, Coltraine disappeared." Trevor muttered. "Bastard took everyone's share and went to live the good life."

"I thought you said he was dead." Ziva reminded Trevor.

"I'm getting to that, Miss Impatient." Trevor looked Ziva up and down. "Feisty one, ain't you?"

Ziva said dangerously. "Get to the point."

"I shared a bunk with Francis Belmen, another member of the ring. One of his outside ears heard it on the street that the money from the organ donor ring was never found. That lit up all the thugs looking for a quick buck to go looking for it."

"And end up killing each other over nothing." Tim reasoned. "I read about this case."

Trevor appeared serious, ignoring the agent called McGee. "It was also said that someone offed James Coltraine to get the money but the money was never found. Whoever killed him couldn't find it. That's cause James was a crafty bastard. Knew how hide things which was why he was ring leader in the first place."

Ducky was disgusted. "You sent me a death threat so I would come looking for you and then you could go on a treasure hunt?" He turned and began walking for the front door.

Trevor leapt up from his lumpy chair and blocked Ducky. "Not just any treasure hunt! The Treasure Hunt!" He looked at Ziva and McGee. "Think about it. Neither NCIS nor the feds ever found the money chain. No one knows what happened to the more than sixteen million unaccounted for to this day."

Tim, Ziva and Ducky considered the possibility if the money was finally recovered where NCIS would stand. But it was a long shot to recover sixteen million dollars after more than twelve years of the trail going cold. The FBI went hot after the money trail once NCIS brought down those involved.

Ducky knew better than to relent but his curiosity was peaked. "And where do you suggest we start looking for James Coltraine, Trevor?"

"In my basement." Trevor motioned for everyone to follow him through the house. "The house belonged to my mother before she died. Since I was in jail, my inheritance paid for the up keep."

**Chapter Five**

Tim turned on the light in the chill of the old basement. There were stacks of boxes he recognized from NCIS. Clearly, these boxes were filled with personal items that were returned once the trials were over. Many of these belongings went back to their original owners. He guessed there was a number of file boxes with old case files the former Dr. Trevor Macelli took home with him.

Tim was at a loss himself. "So where are we supposed to start?"

Ducky and Ziva were unconvinced that helping Trevor Macelli find James Coltraine would help them find the missing money. Trevor knew exactly where he needed to go and disappeared into the stacks. A minute later, he came out with a single box marked 'trophies'.

"I kept files on everyone in my ring." Trevor set the box down on the short stack near him. "Feds were too stupid to look in every box or know what to look for. I hid a number of things in my old trophies from my high school and college days."

He took out several trophies from the box and yanked off the bottoms. He used a finger to pull out rolled sheets of paper.

"There were a number of secondary meeting places we had listed in case one of ours was being cased by competitors or the feds." Trevor opened another trophy bottom looking for a specific paper. "James kept most of his residences under pseudonyms, so the Feds wouldn't get wise to which place he used to hole up in. I was the only one smart enough to peg him for a double-crosser."

At last he found the small map of a cabin in the woods.

"James liked his home away from people and prying eyes." Trevor looked up from the map rolled out between his hands at Ducky. "If someone guessed he had a place like this, they would know how to follow him."

Tim and Ziva were mildly agitated they were sucked into this farce. Still, Ducky appeared to want to know if this James Coltraine was, indeed, dead after all these years. Ziva stepped forward to help Trevor clean up his mess and replace the trophies back into the box.

Tim stepped to Ducky as Ziva led Trevor from the basement up the stairs.

"You knew Coltraine?" He asked softly.

Ducky nodded. "Indeed, I did. A slick one at cards and women." He looked to the grungy floor of the basement. "Delilah left me for him just before the trials started."

With that, Ducky walked towards the steps and began the ascent to the kitchen of the older house. Tim, confused as to who Delilah was, followed him in hopes of learning more about the woman. Of that he would be disappointed. Ducky was not in the talking mood.

**Chapter Six**

Gibbs arrived at the Suard Room around ten in the morning, a fresh coffee in hand. The meeting with the FBI went well on the Perfecto Case. A newly discovered body meant Abby's absence was eminent leaving Dr. Hature behind to run any evidence if they caught a case before his preferred forensic scientist returned. His well-oiled staff was running awry lately.

He slowed then came to a halt finding himself alone in the Squad Room.

And now his agents were missing. Neither Tim nor Ziva mentioned running down a lead on the Reaper Case this morning. But then, his phone was off all morning while he was in the meeting. He glanced up and found no sign of Director Vance lingering around on the upper floor railing. Something was off.

He walked through the Gibbs' Den, as Abby called it, past his desk and towards the laboratory. If Abby had not left for up state New York yet, his agents might be down with her looking at a new angle. He had no intention of sitting at his desk all by himself. The Reaper was still roaming around in or around DC.

**Chapter Seven**

Gibbs entered the lab expecting his agents and staff to be present. Upon arriving at the lab, he found no one there. He halted just inside the glass enclosure of the Forensics lab taking a long drink from his coffee pondering his next move. He turned then stopped abruptly.

The opened wall and the glass enclosure erected to ensure the 'clean room' status of the Forensics lab remained a constant reminder that small changes now and then were necessary. The leak was found but it took the repair plumbers weeks to find the culprit. So the wall remained much as it had before, open and seemingly never meant to be closed.

Gibbs sighed looking for patience.

The computers were running samples from a cold case for Agent Costello but neither Abby nor Dr. Hature were anywhere to be found. Gibbs took another long drink from his coffee. He glanced over his shoulder at the plasma screen then turned to walk out and came to an abrupt halt again. Hach walked through the glass enclosure with a report in her hand, her head down as usual, reading it without noting he was there. She looked up and nodded towards him.

"Agent Gibbs." Hach continued towards Abby's office. "You appear lost."

"Where are Ziva and McGee?" He wondered what a direct question would yield from the mysterious doctor.

"Dr. Mallard received a death threat this morning." Hach placed the report on Abby's desk in her office as a file copy for later filing and turned to face Agent Gibbs. "They went to the sender to question him, I believe. And Miss Sciuto is on her way to upstate New York. Perfecto struck again last night. The call came in less than an hour ago."

Gibbs' eyes narrowed slightly as he took out his phone, flipping it open. He found the number he wanted and pressed the speed dial. Satisfied, he left the Forensics lab with the phone held at his ear.

Hach watched him leave then paused. She smiled then and decided that the supervisory special agent might come back in a few minutes requiring her aid. She walked over to Abby's workstation and tapped several keys. She brought up the map with Ziva David and Tim McGee's cellphone numbers, tracking their current whereabouts. This was from the request Abby made of Tim McGee to keep her posted. She had to make stop somewhere before she left for New York.

It was then Gibbs returned to the lab unable to reach anyone. She pointed towards the plasma screen and he realized she thought ahead. He nodded closing his phone.

"Go." Hach nodded towards the screen she knew was large enough for him to read. "I'll keep you posted if their course changes. You're about fifty minutes behind them."

Gibbs said nothing leaving again.

"Agents never change." Hach sighed.

Then she got busy with the stack of evidence waiting for analysis. With an occasional glance, she kept tabs on where Tim McGee and Ziva David were headed with Dr. Mallard. McGee sent a text indicating they found a lead and were investigating with the person who sent the death threat to get Ducky's attention.

**Chapter Eight**

Abby Sciuto pulled her candy apple 32' Ford Deuce Coupe into the parking lot of the diner located near the residence hoping for confirmation that Ducky, Ziva and Tim were okay following up on the death threat. Tim was texting her with updates but she had not received one in more than an hour. Confronting the sender of the death threat face to face may not have been a good idea she contemplated on the way here. But since there were three of them, two NCIS agents with SIGs, she believed they would be all right.

"Come on." Abby checked her phone for the time.

She glanced around the parking lot not finding her target then checked her phone again. Rolling her eyes, Abby leaned back in the driver's seat trying to be patient.

The passenger side door opened suddenly and Tony DiNozzo, complete with gauze head wrap, carefully crawled into the seat. He wore a gray t-shirt, black light jacket, jeans, white gym shoes and carried with him a fluffy pillow. Setting the small overnight bag on the seat between them, he glanced around as if they were being followed. He gently closed the door, happy to escape his mandatory prison. He pushed the fluffy pillow behind his head to give him some cushion when he needed to rest.

"Head still aches?" Abby inquired worried.

"Only when I'm banging it against the wall." Tony sighed. "Thanks for getting me out of there." He sighed again knowing he was breaking direct orders to get rest. "Hach would be really pis…angry I was going with you." He paused and took a deep breath of freedom. "I just can't stay there another day."

"It's a FBI case." Abby smiled happily.

His voice became firm and serious. "Medical leave is like a sadistic form of hell. You want to sleep in late but all you do is sleep late, watch a bunch of movies and think 'why haven't I gone somewhere yet?' That's no way to live, Abby. I don't care how much healing they think I'm doing."

"Hach has no jurisdiction over FBI temp interns now does she?" Abby frowned slightly at her thoughts. "I feel bad about taking you with me against her orders but I need an assistant and you're the only one available." Abby faced Tony quickly and looked worried. "I promise I won't work you too hard."

Tony smiled leaning his head back. "I love being a FBI intern."

Abby revved the engine, shifted into gear and pulled out of the parking lot with tires squealing. Tony followed the path of least resistance finding himself flattened against the window of the Deuce Coupe. He raised his arm to cushion his contact but there was the doorframe to contend with as well.

"Ow!" Tony whined. "Careful, Abs."

Abby laughed with both hands on the wheel. "You're going to be all right, intern Tony!"

**Chapter Nine**

The dark blue Charger curved along the rural route for more than twenty miles. The occupants sat in silence each contemplating the reasons they were on this mission. The two agents were doing their jobs. Ducky simmered in his contempt at being forced into the situation and Trevor Macelli behaved like a school-boy on a field trip.

Trevor Macelli's map was currently in Ziva's possession, using it to guide them to the elusive James Coltraine cabin labeled on the map. He insisted he visited a number of times in the past long before the ring was busted.

"Gibbs called." Tim glanced at his phone without service now from the driver's seat. "No service."

"I can't get a signal either." Ziva held up her phone in the passenger seat moving it around then glanced out at the passing trees and vegetation. "There's nothing out here."

"Agent, there's a large rock with a red circle on it coming up." Trevor said from the backseat behind Agent McGee. "When you pass it, there'll be a tiny road to the right. I'd slow down if I were you if you wanna catch it proper."

Tim noticed the rock with a faded red circle on it ahead and slowed down. He had to slow the car down to a mere five-miles an hour to make the right turn. Tim had to push the car through the vegetation growing wild across the entrance of what he guessed was a driveway. It was a narrow and winding dirt road with tall trees on either side of the car. Though it was daylight, it felt dark in the car.

In another mile, the lush meadow with tall grasses opened before them. A small log cabin sat next to the river set against a collection of rocks meant to hold back rushing waters when it flooded. There were no vehicles here and the cabin appeared long abandoned.

He stopped the car thirty feet from the cabin. Tim glanced over at Ziva and both thought this was a wild goose chase as they exited and slammed their doors shut. But if it satisfied Trevor Macelli enough then maybe he would leave Ducky alone. Course, if they found the missing money from the stolen organ donor ring that would look good on their NCIS records.

"I'll take inside." Ziva stated determining that would be the best place to find a body.

Tim and Ziva unholstered their guns out of habit not by necessity in this case. The front door appeared shut with some water damage from the various floods over the years, Ziva decided as she approached the front of the cabin cautiously. Tim followed behind Ziva deciding to leave Ducky with Trevor.

Both men were climbing out of the car to have a closer look now caught up in a debate about the traits of liver. No need to include them in this phase of the sweep. This was not Ducky or Trevor Macelli's field of expertise anyway. Ziva lifted her foot and shoved her foot at the front door lock at the angle she knew would break and allow the door to open. She completed the exercise a number of times before.

Today, she bounced back into Tim who caught her easily.

"That's one tough door." Ziva stood up and steadied herself self-consciously.

Tim appeared unphased by the event but Ziva hesitated, making a mental note that maybe she was not a hundred-percent back yet. She took a deep breath then steadied herself. It would take time to make a full comeback on the job. She would make it eventually.

"Let's try the windows." Tim suggested and moved off to the right.

"You working out, Tim?" Ziva was shocked how easily Tim caught her.

"Yeah." Tim nodded. "Strength training with my trainer for the last six months."

They came to the side of the cabin next to the river gently passing by. It was a pretty setting if one wanted to escape the speed of the city. She could only handle something like this for a short time. One thing Ziva liked about city life was options.

Ziva looked into the window finding too much dirt covering the glass to get a good view inside. Tim picked up a rock and threw it at the window. The glass instantly broke in a cascade of shards and the rock thudded on the interior raised floor.

"Has a hollow sound." Ziva nodded. "Smell that?"

"Yeah." Tim nodded. "Someone died here all right."

They peered in the window side by side. There were two bodies, skeletons now, on the bed in the center of the room. The skulls lay side-by-side. The once white linens were soiled with water stains and blackened stains from decaying body fluids. Water from the flood rearranged the tidy cabin over time leaving a mess in its wake. The heavy kitchen table was wedged against the front door.

"There's your reason for not getting through the front door." Tim smirked.

Ziva nodded it was valid. "You wouldn't have either, McGee."

"Ladies first." Tim motioned towards the window.

Ziva halted at the idea of having to climb into the window on her first official case back at NCIS following her 'leave of absence' courtesy of the Reaper. She glared at Tim who waited with a smile, his palm upwards gesturing towards the opened window. Holstering her gun, she decided that this would be a test of her physical strength since returning to agent duty. She needed to believe she could do this.

Tim took off his jacket and used it around his arm to clear the broken glass. Once he was satisfied there would be no harm to Ziva climbing through, he paid the jacket three-fold over the bottom of the window frame.

She paused to consider a thought as she watched Tim prepare the window for entry. Maybe Tim sensed she needed this test too, forcing her to make the effort. With a glance at Tim McGee, Ziva decided now was the time to get back to work. She hated being 'idle' most days. Besides, why should McGee have all the fun?

Tim smiled when Ziva easily hoisted herself into the window cleared of broken glass. He smiled when she fell onto the floor inside the cabin and a subsequent 'ew' was heard.

"You okay?" He called into the window.

"It's disgusting in here!" Came the curt reply.

Tim laughed walking towards the front of the cabin.

TO BE CONTINUED…


	23. Episode 8: Nemesis Part 2

**NCIS Season 9**

**Episode 9.8.2**

**Nemesis**

**By: Lady JenDragon**

**Disclaimer: **NCIS is not mine.

**Author's Notes:** Just read.

* * *

**NEMESIS**

**PART TWO**

**Chapter Ten**

Gibbs arrived at the cabin and skidded his dark blue Charger to a halt behind the other dark blue Charger parked before the cabin. The trunk was open indicating they were accessing their crime scene supplies. He shifted the vehicle into park and surveyed the open front door and the outlines of four people inside. They apparently did not hear him arrive.

Gibbs slammed the door realizing he should not be mad at his team for following up on a lead when he was in a meeting. Tim McGee was the first out of the front door carrying a number of evidence bags with him to store in the trunk. He spotted Gibbs coming towards him.

"You forgot how to use a phone, McGee?"

"I tried calling but you were in the meeting with the Feds." Tim had everything documented. "I left a voicemail message." Seeing Gibbs what-don't-I-get look. "And you don't get voicemail messages. We came up here following a hunch of Trevor Macelli."

"Dr. Trevor Macelli?" Gibbs straightened slightly at the name from his own lips. "Of NCIS?"

Tim nodded. "Yes. Apparently he sent Ducky a death threat in the hopes of getting his attention to the case of a missing person by the name of James Coltraine."

"I know the case, Tim." How could he stay mad at his team?

He paused then continued. "Trevor insisted he heard that someone killed James Coltraine for the remaining money from the ring that was never found. He knew the location of this cabin and insisted we check it out. By the time you were out of your meeting, we were out of range. Ziva's taking photos."

"Body?" Gibbs wanted to talk to Ducky.

"Two of them actually." Tim nodded towards the cabin. "Bullets to the back of the head, left together on the bed. They've been here a while. A number of floods have done their damage and some of the bones are missing. Hardly any animal damage."

"Keep on it." Gibbs left Tim at the back of the vehicle and headed towards the cabin.

**Chapter Eleven**

Ducky and Trevor stood on either side of the bed in the middle of the small room. Two sets of eyes surveyed the disarray of small furniture, chairs, table, and personal items strewn around. It would difficult to find traces of the killers left behind after so many years.

"I believe we have enough bones for two people." Ducky said finally. "One male and the other is clearly a female."

Trevor pointed towards the floor. "From the clutter of furniture and clothes left to rot, the couple was living here at the time of death."

"Certainly." Ducky agreed. "Both were in their late thirties or early forties at the time. James was forty-one at the time he disappeared." He nodded with thoughts in his head other than murder. "I won't be able to do a dental scan until we get the bones back to Autopsy."

"I miss those days." Trevor closed his eyes and took in the scent of the cabin.

"You won't be joining me for that, Trevor." Ducky knew when the draw the line. "Your source may have panned out to be true. But I assure you, Jethro will not allow you any more room to maneuver in this investigation than what you already have done to this point. And I won't be sorry for it."

"Jethro Gibbs?" Trevor smirked. "He was just a rookie agent when I met him, under Mike Franks. A bit of a smart ass if I remember right."

"He's changed since then." Ducky knew the reasons why. "Quite a lot since those days, I assure you."

Ziva listened to the two men exchange the discussion of death like recalling stats of a sporting event. It was like having two Ducky's instead of one. They could almost read one another's minds. The idea of it was a bit scary to her but since Trevor Macelli led them to two bodies, or what was left of two bodies, she was willing to explore the history. Ducky had all sorts of stories but he failed to mention this particular one. She completed her photos by the time Gibbs filled the threshold of the front door. It limited the light so everyone turned to look at him.

Ziva was unsure if the look in Gibbs eyes was anger or irritation. "Gibbs." He hated being left out of the loop.

Trevor turned to face a much older Jethro Gibbs than he remembered. The younger man eyed him coolly from the door. He was about to move forward to offer a shake of the hand but realized that time had long passed once he was found guilty of his crimes. Agent Gibbs knew of the investigation and helped bring it home to NCIS. Trevor could read it on his face that Gibbs resented him for bringing the focus back on the civilian branch created to capture and process criminals, not harbor them. No one suspected anyone from NCIS would be involved. Sixteen years ago was a long time to have passed by.

Gibbs said nothing as Ducky passed him, giving him a sideways glance, reciprocating he was annoyed with the presence of Trevor Macelli among NCIS agents again. For once they were in agreement that Trevor Macelli would not be welcomed back at NCIS regardless of the reasons he was involved. Ducky would remember this day since they did not happen very often.

Jethro would see to it that Trevor Macelli never took another step into any NCIS office.

**Chapter Twelve**

Ducky completed the dental scan without the aid of Jimmy Palmer or Trevor Macelli. Jimmy, married for almost a year now, was off to do some errand for his wife, Brina. As for Macelli, Jethro escorted Trevor back to his home personally to emphasize his opinion of the once respected NCIS medical examiner. Those were dark days back then.

He was waiting for Hach to complete a detailed scan for him on several small greenstick-like bones he found at the cabin but did not identify right away. Dr. Hature possessed one of the few scanning devices that could sculpt a scan in 3-D for later analysis if the evidence needed to be destroyed for testing purposes. It was rare to find a woman so well connected to technology and the many uses he had for that equipment was infinite.

"It's a shame." Ducky shook his head. "She's a lovely woman."

So he forced himself to wait for the good doctor to return to Autopsy to discuss the findings. It was a rare sight to find him leaning against the wall waiting like an anxious schoolboy for test results. The doors opened and Hach walked into Autopsy.

"You're suspicions were correct, doctor." She walked over to Dr. Mallard handing him the flat panel tablet displaying the results of the 3-D scan. "The woman is, in fact, Delilah Stuart and she was pregnant at the time of her death."

Ducky sighed. "Nothing surprises me anymore."

"I ran DNA on the greenstick tissue." Hach did not smile. "James Coltraine was the father of the child." She recognized the expression on his face. "You knew this woman, Delilah Stuart?"

"Yes." Ducky glanced up at the ceiling then looked to where the two sets of bones lay side by side on two examination tables. "A long time ago." He paused deciding to share some of his past with Hach. "We were…intimate for several months."

"I see." Hach knew others found comfort in talking about their past. "You were curious if the child was yours?"

Ducky said nothing.

Hach was not known for understanding human relationships but somehow, lately, this was becoming easier for her to grasp. "You loved her?"

"With what I thought was love at the time, yes." Ducky turned towards the victims lying on his examination tables. "Would you care to aid me in completing my assessment, Hach? If you can spare the time?"

She paused to glance at the examination tables with the bones laid out in order.

"I would be honored, doctor." Hach smiled slightly. "The other samples are running so there is time to spare." She paused at the invite then decided that perhaps Doctor Mallard did not wish to be alone at the moment. "I can send Mr. Palmer for the results later upon his return."

Hach joined Dr. Mallard beside the closest examination table with the smaller set of bones that was clearly female. She noted his expression went blank as he set to work.

So they began.

**Chapter Thirteen**

Tim hated cold cases. It always took more time to go one step forward just because of the amount of time that passed between the actual date of death and the time someone began looking for answers. Ziva was off chasing down a lead with one of Coltraine's old neighbors. And he was stuck chasing down James Coltraine's trail.

"Not that he left anything behind for anyone to find." Tim muttered.

He tapped his keyboard, frustrated there was so little on the focus of their investigation. He liked finding financial records, education, addresses, sifting through emails, phone call histories, and whatever else he could dig up. James Coltraine avoided technology and paper trails on purpose. Someone could get around the system just by paying in cash and leaving no mark behind.

Gibbs arrived at his desk rather silently. "You having issues finding Coltraine, McGee?"

"Yes!" Tim sighed rolling his eyes. "He's a difficult guy to trace, boss."

That gave him a reason to get up from his desk. He motioned towards the plasma and picked up the remote needing a break from his task. Gibbs joined him at his side, wondering just how much James Coltraine could hide from Tim McGee.

"I can trace him from the time we think the organ selling ring began its activities on the black market up to about two weeks before the official bust." Tim brought up bank records and transaction records from various front businesses. "Once NCIS busted the ring and made all the arrests his trail goes cold. Nothing. Absolutely nothing anywhere."

Gibbs smirked at Tim's frustration.

"The FBI tried to track him down sixteen years ago chasing the paper trail he left behind for them to find." Gibbs tasted the bitter memory. "We did too but once the ring was broken, NCIS focused on the trials not recovering the money they made. And four years later, the feds were still chasing their tails."

That bothered McGee more than it should.

Tim was stumped. "He had to have a safe place to keep the money." He shook his head. "James Coltraine knew how to keep it off the books. He worked in accounting for eleven years before the ring even started selling. He had a safety net somewhere."

Gibbs smiled that Tim was frying his brain over James Coltraine. "Keep on it and see where it leads. If anyone can find it, it'll be you, Tim."

He left the office with the intention of seeing Ducky. Tim smiled that Gibbs complimented him. He would find the safety net James Coltraine used eventually. It bothered him not so much for the money but because it presented him with a serious challenge, one where his hacking skills were not needed for once.

Tim sighed and muttered. "I love hacking."

Gibbs lifted his head hearing the mutter and smiled.

**Chapter Fourteen**

Ducky met Trevor Macelli outside NCIS Naval Yard building under the watchful eye of several NCIS security guards. They apparently knew NCIS well enough to recognize him. Perhaps Jethro was as good as his word by keeping Trevor Macelli out of NCIS. He buttoned his coat up to the collar since it was expected to be chilly for the remainder of the day. His hat was pulled down over his ears.

Trevor Macelli eagerly shuffled towards Ducky in anticipation of the results. "Well?" Trevor inquired.

The hopeful glimmer in his eyes told Ducky Trevor once kept a light on in his heart for Delilah Stuart just as he once did. However, there would be no happy ending this time. His conclusions were final and absolute. Hach ran the DNA without his asking to guarantee no bias when the results were finally determined. Perhaps he was becoming too set in his routine lately that anyone could anticipate his every move.

"It's Delilah." Ducky knew there was no hiding the news. "She was pregnant when she died."

"Coltraine's?" Trevor stopped in mid step.

"Yes." It pained Ducky to admit this.

Trevor smirked. "You still have that roll top desk she sent you?"

"As I recall, she sent you a rather remarkable hutch." Ducky wondered why the woman chose to gift her ex-lovers with antiques. "You still have it?"

"Yeah." Trevor shook his head. "I hated she left me for you but I just couldn't bring myself to burn it like I wanted."

"Since it came from her." Ducky understood the sentiment. "I know how you feel."

"So you still have yours?"

He nodded that he did indeed still have the roll top desk. "Deli was a woman of chance. She was never malicious, never deceitful." One of the few in Ducky's history that never once tried to take anything from him but time and his heart. "In her heart she thought she was getting the better deal."

"Hell'va deal she got." Trevor wondered. "Always hoped she might come back."

"So did I." Ducky knew reminiscing over a dead woman was pointless. "So did I." He paused then said softly so Trevor could not hear. "Perhaps, I more than hoped…"

But then, Delilah Stuart was more than just a woman with a zest for life. She was extravagant but elegant, soft but stubborn, hard but understanding. Since she left him all those years ago, he found maintaining a relationship difficult since he unknowingly compared his girlfriends to her.

"You were always her favorite." Trevor commented on the picture of Delilah Stuart smiling back at them. "Never wanted to let you go."

"It didn't matter." Ducky pointed out. "She left me for James in the end."

"I heard. But I don't think she left of her own volition." He knew the story far too well. "James hunted her down and used any means to pull her away. Dangled money and travel in front of her eyes. You know how much she wanted to travel around the world back then. Deli thought she was in love with you. But you know James. He's a slick one, he is."

Ducky remembered the day she left him. "And now she's dead."

Trevor patted him on the back. "Let's go get a drink."

Ducky thought that was exactly what he needed.

**Chapter Fifteen**

The quiet beeping of the lab did not indicate its owner was away on a mission to find the FBI's most wanted serial killer. Though they knew the persona of Perfecto was more of a mercenary, a seriously dangerous loaded gun for hire, they labeled him a serial case since he took out two agents just to keep the case in their jurisdiction. Most of the other agencies avoided the case when ever they stumbled upon a new victim.

Abby's face looked out from the plasma screen on her workstation where Tim stood smiling. "Weird being away from NCIS?"

"You get used to it sometimes." Abby glanced around behind Tim. "But since I finally got an intern, I'm better now. Things are running much more smoothly."

Tim frowned. "They got you an intern?"

Abby smiled. "Yes, they did." She glanced off screen. "He's been so great my intern, Tony."

She sent Tim a raised eyebrow and McGee understood. "Ah, that intern." He nodded and smiled wider. "You mentioned him before."

Abby became serious again. "So, back to your problem. James Coltraine is the son of Marcus and Agatha Coltraine, born on April 15, 1954. His father owned an antique shop in New York City until he was bought out by a bigger competitor and became a consultant at Southern's Antique Auction House. His parents died in a fire when he was seventeen. Everything was left to him which wasn't much back then. He worked as an accountant for an overseas distributor of steel products up until about twenty years ago."

"That's when they suspected the black market organ selling ring started." Tim noted the timeline deficiencies. "If he was laundering the money then it had to be someone local."

Hach walked in behind Tim McGee transferring evidence to the mass spectrometer. Suddenly, Abby behaved nervously as she muddled around the mobile lab keeping her face on screen as she walked around. It was clear that she used her phone to transmit her image to NCIS. She kept the background neutral Hach did not appear to catch onto her actions.

"Abby." Tim frowned at the email Abby just sent him. "This can't be right."

"Of course it is!" Abby appeared horrified by being accused of doing. "I ran the list you gave me four times since we've pretty much got nothing to do here. My trusty intern and I have nothing to analyze! Perfecto is too darn…well…perfect."

Tim sighed. "Abby, I really need you to focus right now."

That set Abby straight. "James Coltraine didn't like gambling or putting his money in banks. Which I'm not surprised since he was an accountant. I checked every overseas bank for the time period over a ten-year span from five years following the trials to a year before the ring was suspected of beginning operations. That's about four years if our records at NCIS are correct." Abby paused. "And NCIS always has accurate records. Coltraine never deposited anything using aliases or other people as money goats. I used every name the Feds had compiled plus a few of my own he might have come up with if he was going to hide money outside the United States. If he hid the money anywhere, it has to be there in DC somewhere."

Hach stopped behind Agent McGee to get a clearer understanding of the problem.

"Which leaves us with nothing." Tim rolled his eyes. "God, he's good!"

Hach looked at Abby. "Do tell your intern that should he become disoriented, that a mild sedative will help him." Hach said matter-of-factly as Abby froze. "If he prolongs his outings it'll take longer for his brain to heal and he might have issues with sight."

Tony DiNozzo took the phone from Abby and peered into it. "How did you know I was here?"

"Tony!" Tim smiled and said half-heartedly. "I didn't know you were a FBI intern now!"

Hach smirked. "The head wrap gave you away and I was called regarding the possibility of a regression. But since you're being good about staying indoors while aiding Miss Sciuto, I'll let you slide just this once. However, next time you survive an explosion, I'll chain you to the wall and hire a very butch male nurse for the duration of your recovery."

A frazzled Tony gave the phone back to Abby again but his voice could be heard. "I'm going to go lay down now."

Tim chuckled but then his expression turned serious as Abby glared at him.

"McGee!" Abby scolded. "You're supposed to be on our side!"

"Don't blame him." Hach said almost sympathetically. "Lying just isn't your forte, Miss Sciuto." She paused at her own amusement. "But don't stop trying."

Tim looked over his shoulder as Hach got back to work in the lab.

Abby leaned close to the screen and whispered. "It's scary how much she's all knowing, Tim."

McGee paused not knowing how to respond to that.

**Chapter Sixteen**

Ducky left Trevor Macelli at his front door and pulled his Morgan back out into traffic smoothly and stopped at the traffic light. Something made him glance into the rearview mirror, eyeing the man walking away from the curb. Trevor climbed the stairs to his house with a good buzz tonight.

The front door creaked open as he began the ritual of peeling off layers. First the coat came off then his hat and finally the scarf came off in his eager hands. The air was warm and cozy inside the house tonight. Placing his outer wear in the front coat closet, he turned towards the house glowing in dim lights left 'on' along the main hall.

Trevor thought the house was a bit too eerie tonight. He walked further down the hall, seemingly waiting for something. He paused unsure why he felt ill at ease. Perhaps it was because he could feel he was no longer alone. But his eyes found no one lurking in the shadows in the rooms as he passed. The reason he left the doors open in the house to begin with since he left prison. After a thorough check of the first floor rooms he found nothing out of place.

Trevor returned to the Living Room/Parlor and flicked on the light. It was then he noticed the furniture was disturbed, seemingly moved across the floor. The fresh scrapes were seen in the dust gathered on the floor from years of maltreatment and neglect. Trevor turned towards the hutch Delilah Stuart once gifted him and found the once beautifully handcrafted antique in splinters. He walked forward, his eyes focused on the destroyed wood splintered across the floor.

"Well, I'll be."

A shadow moved behind him, lifting something garish and brought it hard down over the back of his head. Trevor went out and fell to the floor with a thud. His eyes were open, seemingly lifeless as they looked out across the dusty floor.

**Chapter Seventeen**

Ziva stood with Tim watching Jimmy Palmer and a fellow NCIS staffer to load the body bag onto the gurney. Typically Ducky aided Palmer with this part of the routine but he felt no desire to be part of tradition this morning. Tim and Ziva were dressed for fieldwork, their jackets and hats donned upon arriving at the scene of the crime.

"He used to call me his nemesis."

Ziva glanced at Tim.

Ducky continued. "We used to always be in competition for everything as young lads." He stood watching the body being loaded into the body bag. "The last thing we discussed before I dropped him off was the antiques Delilah Stuart gave us as parting gifts. We had a few drinks after that in her honor."

Perhaps it was nostalgia that made him feel so gloomy. The people in his life, with the exception of present company, seemed to leave by his trade. Strange he never noticed until this morning. Ducky sighed silently as the black bag was zipped up, enclosing Trevor Macelli in the last prison he would ever see before his final resting place. He had few friends and many of those he doubted would show up for his funeral.

"Maybe it's best you wait outside." Ziva offered to Ducky, camera in hand.

Ducky looked to Ziva. "I assure you, the loss of Trevor Macelli hasn't had quite the effect you might think, my dear."

"You seem almost…" Tim was at a loss for a description.

"Lost." Ziva added then pointed out. "You're close to this case, Ducky. He sent you death threats until you paid him some attention. When you finally do confront him about the threats, we find James Coltraine and a lead that relates to why he went to prison all those years ago."

Ducky shrugged since he could not have come up with a better summary. "Trevor Macelli is a lesson in friendship. We were close once."

Tim stepped forward. "Until he betrayed your trust."

Ducky nodded the sentiment. "He betrayed us all." Ducky smirked as Jimmy Palmer passed him without meeting his eyes.

He noted Jimmy Palmer choosing to remain quiet about the whole affair since they took on this case. Typically Ducky's aid liked to throw in a line or two into the conversation but he was unusually quiet the last twenty-four hours. He and the staffer left with the gurney without a word.

Ziva paused noting the lack of exchange Ducky typically had with Jimmy Palmer.

"Is something wrong with Jimmy?" Ziva realized the aid was avoiding Ducky this morning.

Ducky lifted his chin. "He made the mistake of trying to cut in on the examination of James Coltraine and Delilah Stuart yesterday. I asked Hach to aid me since he hadn't returned yet from his errand for the wife. He returned shortly after we started and over stepped his boundaries. Hach gave him a five-minute lecture on protocols and professional etiquette. He's been a bit twitchy since then, I'm afraid."

"Hach just plain scares him." Tim knew how to read Jimmy Palmer. "He'll get over it eventually."

Ducky sighed then followed Palmer and the gurney out. "I'd better go have a talk with him before he drops something important."

Ziva thought it was a bit premature but even she thought it was nice having jimmy Palmer quiet at a crime scene for once. Tim read her thoughts and chuckled as he turned to watch Ducky leave. They paused for a few seconds then got back to work taking photos, sweeping for any fibers and looking for footprints in the layers of dust before Gibbs arrived on scene. His arrival was imminent.

**Chapter Eighteen**

Gibbs arrived at the brownstone in time to find Ducky and Jimmy Palmer exiting with the body bag on top of the gurney already. There was no reason for them to wait until he arrived for this one.

"Duck?" Gibbs caught up to the medical examiner truck.

"Jethro." Ducky felt his age this cold morning. "Just when I didn't think things couldn't get any stranger."

"Yeah, I know." Gibbs glanced at the NCIS personnel exiting out of the front door with bags of evidence. "Dr. Hature will be busy for a while."

"I disagree." Duck nodded towards a waiting NCIS staff member who drove with Jimmy to the scene this morning. "I did a thorough sweep of the house. The killer knew not to leave much behind them. Any prints were wiped and they swept the dust where they stepped erasing any footprints. Timothy and Ziva are doing a secondary sweep in case I missed something."

"I doubt you missed anything, Duck." Gibbs understood the torment Ducky felt.

He knew about Delilah Stuart and her relation to Ducky Mallard. They were friends long enough to have experienced the trails and tribulations of a woman abandoning you when times got difficult. Part of him wondered if Ducky ever really got over Delilah.

He paused. "I was going to take Trevor back to another of Coltraine's haunts today. We were going to meet at eight this morning."

"Front door was open?" Gibbs inquired knowing he would get a full report from Tim or Ziva.

"Wide open." Ducky knew what that meant. "Once I entered the premises and discovered Trevor Macelli was deceased, I called NCIS in. He might've disgraced our name but that doesn't mean he deserves less than the best now that he's gone."

Gibbs disagreed with Ducky. "He was aiding an NCIS investigation, that makes him ours, Duck."

"Blunt force trauma, I think." Ducky felt out of sorts this morning. "Thermometer estimates TOD at ten thirty last night." He sighed. "I dropped him off here at ten fifteen."

What could he say?

Gibbs remained silent quietly watching his long time friend battle emotion with the job. Once again they were cleaning up another mess left by someone else. Still, his mind wondered just how close to the investigation these recent events would bring Ducky Mallard to the center of his team's attention.

Ducky appeared disturbed by the whole situation. "It's time I got back to work."

Gibbs knew not to press right now.

**Chapter Nineteen**

Hach eyed the computer screen of the photos Jimmy Palmer sent up from autopsy. She wore her typical lab coat over a white collared shirt and black pants with black flat shoes that made her shorter than usual. Typically she wore one or two-inch heels but opted for flats today. Her blonde hair was pulled into a ponytail towards the back of her head with several tresses left hanging at the temples. She anchored them with barrettes when she was handling evidence. The barrettes were currently attached to her lab coat lapel.

Dr. Mallard was down there performing the examination on a person he once called his friend. Then the coffee scent permeated the air. She turned to find Agent Gibbs walking stealthily into the Forensics lab. She noted the eyes divert to the newly enlarged hole surrounding the water pipes that refused to be completely fixed.

"Have you visited Dr. Mallard yet?" Hach inquired.

"No." Gibbs wanted to avoid Ducky right now.

She paused calculating what his response meant. "I see." Then she returned to the workstation bringing up photos of the crime scene and wound marks from the victim. "Trevor Macelli died from blunt force trauma from behind. His killer destroyed what was left of a nineteenth century colonial hutch before he arrived home. From the angle of the wound, the killer was a few inches taller than the victim. Six-three or six-four."

"Prints?" Gibbs wondered why Hach was suddenly being so forthcoming with her analysis.

"Wiped clean." Hach sighed. "There was no way to get clear footprints from the floors with our current level of technology."

Gibbs knew there was little to go on. "Give it a few years, there'll be something coming out to scan the floor even though the dust was cleared."

Hach smirked and informed Agent Gibbs. "I'm currently working on a prototype that'll detect microscopic pressure points from foreign material against natural or man-made materials."

Gibbs paused to glance at Hach who was paying attention to the computer screen. He studied her serene face calmly contemplating the chemical formula scrolling up from the bottom of the screen. She was difficult to read at times but clearly she was in a social mood since they were focused on the case.

"He was hit with the brass candlestick Agent McGee found at the scene set near the body." Hach brought up another crime scene photo. "Its twin was found on the mantle in the library after the sweep of the house. There were traces of blood recovered from it and tests results confirm Trevor Macelli's DNA."

Gibbs felt unsatisfied. "Nothing to go on."

"I wouldn't say that." Hach disagreed realizing Agent Gibbs was paying attention. "If the killer was looking for something in the hutch then it makes sense they didn't find it. I analyzed the remnants of wood recovered from the home. There's no indication that anything that might have been wrapped in any material natural or man-made was hidden inside the hutch."

"They destroyed the hutch for a reason." Gibbs shrugged. "That's something."

He paused and reminded himself that Abby was not here. Her presence was sincerely missed. Abruptly, he turned and left the lab intending to pursue a line of thought. Hach frowned at the action then returned to the task of rescanning the wood in case there was something she missed on the first run.

**Chapter Twenty**

Later, Tim McGee walked into the office to find Ziva David sitting at her desk glued to her computer screen. Her fingers worked effortlessly over the keyboard almost reminding him of himself for a brief moment. Gibbs was quietly reading some report that came across his desk, his reading glasses sitting on the end of his nose.

"Boss, I just realized where James might've hid the money." Tim headed for the plasma, transferring the information from his PDA instanteously. "Hach helped me narrow down my search when I went looking through the FBI files on Coltraine."

Ziva stood up and walked over to stand next to Tim with her arms folded. Gibbs chose to stand for the presentation. He hoped they found who committed the murder rather than finding the location of the money from the ring.

"James enjoyed an occasional day at the antiques shop." Tim brought up a photo of a business front window with several antiques displayed. "He was buying antiques here and there then had them shipped to a warehouse."

"We've seen this before." Gibbs remembered a similar case.

"He didn't spend money on antiques to hide the cash that way." Tim remembered the old case as well. "Everything he bought only cost, at most, about ten grand. What he did was warehouse the furniture and then Delilah sent it to people she knew as 'gifts'."

Ziva frowned. "You know, Ducky and Trevor both mentioned they received antiques from Delilah as an 'I'm sorry' gift."

Tim pointed out. "Ducky might have some of the money in his house."

"So who killed Coltraine and Trevor Macelli?" Ziva wanted to know.

"Whoever's looking for the furniture." Gibbs patted Tim on the shoulder. "Good work, McGee."

She began backing towards her desk. "I'll look for like crimes involving antique furniture robberies in the past two years." Ziva returned to her desk eager to find something. "They've got to be looking for the other pieces."

TO BE CONTINUED…


	24. Episode 8: Nemesis Part 3

**NCIS Season 9**

**Episode 9.8.3**

**Nemesis**

**By: Lady JenDragon**

**Disclaimer: **NCIS is not mine.

**Author's Notes:** Don't forget to review. I need feedback!

* * *

**NEMESIS**

**PART THREE**

**Chapter Twenty-One**

Ziva walked up the walkway confident that the person she was coming to see would point her in the right direction. The house appeared unassuming on the suburban street lined with tall trees. The east coast of the United States was so vastly different between the seasons. Winter was coming fast here. She rang the doorbell.

A young woman of thirty opened the door with a nine-month old on her hip. She was a pretty brunette with fine features and a wide smile.

"Hi." Ziva took out her credentials. "My name is Ziva David, with NCIS. I'm looking for Carol Kravitz."

"Yes." Carol smiled. "You called earlier about the desk."

Carol Kravitz turned from the front door indicating that Ziva should follow her. Surprised her credentials were not needed, she hesitated then followed the woman through the small house and out the back door. They descended the back porch stairs and towards the detached garage at the end of the driveway across the small yard. The open door into the garage meant it was being aired out since the break in more than two weeks ago.

"When did the robbery occur?" Ziva noted the door window was broken.

"The fourteenth." The woman turned when she reached the remnants of the desk lying on the floor of the garage near the corner left where it was destroyed.

There was little stored in the garage to begin with since it flooded often enough. Ziva noted the water stains around the base of the poured concrete foundation. She brought along the smaller digital camera in case there was something important that needed to be documented.

"You were on vacation?" Ziva noted the top of the desk was face down and the letters 'U' 'L' 'L' followed by the number '5', '3', '4' then and a period and followed by the letter 'B' and the number '3'. Ziva frowned not understanding the significance of the line of letters and numbers.

"Yes." Carol bounced the quiet baby on her hip and he smiled happily. "We came back from my mother's house in New York and found the door ajar."

"Anything else taken?" Ziva took out her digital camera and turned it on.

She moved to take a photo of the desktop. Carol watched her closely confused as to why NCIS would be interested in the destruction of an antique desk from the 1700's. Ziva knew there was little to go on at the moment and this was another clue in the case. One thing was clear. Someone was after the furniture.

"Nothing." Carol shook her head. "You can have the desk. It's useless to us now."

Ziva straightened.

**Chapter Twenty-Two**

Tim ran through the photos of the suspects of the body part scandal sixteen years ago. He smirked realizing that Gibbs would have been a younger agent back then.

"Kind of like me when I first started." That gave him hope that one day he could lead a team as well as Gibbs ran his.

Gibbs walked by. "Reminiscing, Tim?"

"A little, yeah." He remote activated the plasma to turn on by Gibbs standing by his desk.

"I've been running these names." Tim got up from his desk. "There's only three members of the original ring left alive since Trevor Macelli was killed. Travis LaConte, Jacob O'Donnell, and Mark Nayburs. All three were released around the same time as Macelli and from different prisons."

"Any of them return to DC?" Gibbs knew it had to be one of the three. "Any of them could have figured it out."

Tim already thought about this angle. "LaConte is up in New York with his sister. O'Donnell hooked up with his ex-wife in New Jersey and supposedly hasn't left since he got out. Nayburs is working at a mill job outside DC just over the border in Virginia but the address I have for him is a vacant lot set to be demolished."

"Focus on Nayburs." Gibbs felt something was off. "Send agents to verify the location of O'Donnell and LaConte."

Tim nodded. "Already did. I asked for non-invasive observation. If there's anything suspicious, we'll be notified." His phone beeped. "That was Ziva, she's bringing in the desk from the Kravitz robbery two weeks ago."

Gibbs nodded and decided it was time for more coffee.

**Chapter Twenty-Three**

Jimmy walked into Autopsy looking for the elusive Dr. Mallard. He found something unusual and wanted to ask the doctor about it. Yet, he appeared to know he was being sought and found a way to disappear. He turned to find Ducky coming in after him. He jumped, a hand over his heart.

"What's the matter, Mr. Palmer?" Ducky smirked at startling Jimmy. "You look like you've seen a ghost."

"Ah…" Jimmy realized he lost his train of thought. "I lost it, doctor. But Ziva brought in a broken desktop that might be related to the case. It was broken apart much like the hutch Dr. Macelli possessed. Hach is looking at it now."

Ducky thought for a second then decided he had time to stop in for a look himself.

**Chapter Twenty-Four**

Hach was not used to a group of people taking up space in her lab while she analyzed evidence. Though the crime was not part of the scene from Trevor Macelli's house, it was deemed part of the case anyway. If they were related, then this was another step towards finding out who killed Trevor Macelli. Ziva stood with Tim discussing the case quietly.

"Would you keep it down, please?" Hach asked softly.

Tim looked over Ziva's shoulder at Hach. "Sorry." He paused. "Any idea what the letters and numbers mean?"

"Not at the moment." Hach replied as the scan completed then muttered. "I've only just scanned in the evidence."

Tim was on his PDA looking for what the letters and numbers could mean.

She wanted to be alone with the evidence right now. Hach hoped Tim and Ziva would leave since they were watching her work. She despised being observed in the lab for longer than a few minutes and both remained since Ziva brought in the desk thirty minutes ago. The last scan was fuzzy and unclear. She erased it with a press of a button on Abby's famous but efficient lab remote. With the hand held scanner still in her hand, she passed over the desktop lying face down on the evidence table at a slower rate than last time. Hach looked over her shoulder at the plasma finding the scan loading.

She sighed quietly. "How Abby stands these work conditions is beyond me."

She moved to the workstation and found the picture of the letters and numbers clearly displayed. Hach frowned realizing the pattern matched something recently. Still, it bothered her it did not come immediately to the front. Her memory was typically perfect but it was off today. The quiet conversation behind her was clearly distracting her. She turned to watch Gibbs and his coffee enter the lab.

"The fun never ends." Hach sighed.

She brought up four photos and rearranged them now that her mind was beginning to piece things together. Yes, that made more sense now. The numbers and letters were seen before in other photos from other crime scenes involving destroyed furniture. Strange, there was someone wanting her to look at some evidence from Pearl.

Gibbs came to a halt beside Hach, his elbow nearly touching hers. He noted she shifted on her other foot to put distance between them. That would be filed away for later.

A screen popped up when the face of a rather handsome man appeared. He smiled at the lab then shifted his gaze towards Hach.

"Hey Ice Maiden." He smirked. "How's DC treating you?"

Tim and Ziva exchanged a quick surprised expression at the name 'Ice Maiden' then they smiled and silenced a chuckle. Gibbs noted Hach turn rigid at the name then relax again once she got over the initial greeting.

"Winter's setting in, Agent Nance." Hach did not smile. "Victor, you sent me copies of the photos from the Damon Mathers case?"

He nodded his dark haired head. "Fun as usual, Hach. You should keep that small talk down to a minimum."

"And you should get to the point." Hach wanted to avoid being informal around Gibbs and his team. "I don't have time to socialize at the moment."

Gibbs drank from his coffee.

"Is that Agent Gibbs?" Victor squinted into his screen. "My goodness, it's been awhile, gunny."

Gibbs nodded. "A while, Vic. How's Clancy and the twins?"

"Good, good." Victor noted Hach's expression and got serious. "Damon Mathers house was broken into last week and his antique buffet was destroyed and the pieces were left where it once sat. He heard the noise and came looking only to get knocked up a bit. Sent him to the hospital for a few days."

Hach brought up the case file. "Was he related to the NCIS organ selling scandal?"

Victor shook his head. "No. Bought the buffet from Maggie Shenks, the accountant that received the furniture from an old friend, Delilah Stuart. They were college friends back in the day. Sold it when she downsized after the kids moved out."

Hach nodded. "Thanks. I'll let you know if we find anything more on this end."

Gibbs wanted to talk more to Agent Nance but Hach disconnected from Victor already. He glanced over at her noting she was focused on looking for something. She did not dawdle like some of his team did sometimes. Her fingers whizzed across the keyboard.

"What do you see, Agent Gibbs?" Hach needed to see if Gibbs saw the pattern she did.

"Broken furniture." Gibbs peered at the screen able to see the screen clearly. "There's lot of the same numbers and letters."

"All in the same order." Hach rearranged the photos on the screen. "If we extrapolate that every piece of furniture had these same letters and numbers etched, seemingly burned, into the wood. Then we would get…"

Gibbs read out loud. "Hull 5.3.4.B.3.4.0."

Tim walked forward. "What's that stand for?"

"A boat, Tim." Gibbs replied.

"But which one?" Ziva joined Tim. "There's thousands of boats here at the Naval Yard."

Ducky's voice came from the glass enclosure. "That's not just any boat, Ziva."

Part of him shivered at the idea.

**Chapter Twenty-Five**

Gibbs, Tim, Ziva and Ducky moved from the lab to the Gibbs' den in the Squad Room to convene on the target of the treasure hunt Delilah Stuart was leading them on. Tim and Ziva stood transfixed by Ducky's story.

"We spent a long weekend there once." Ducky was flooded with the memories.

Delilah Stuart was a unique woman now lost to the sea of his past.

"What's Hull 534?" Ziva wanted the answer now.

"Hull 534 is a well known ship that was used during world war two to transport allied troops across the Atlantic." Ducky loved history. "She was the most elegant ship when she sailed her maiden voyage on May 27, 1936 from Southampton to New York City. Not to mention the fastest. She made more than 1,000 trips across the Atlantic before they retired her in 1967." Ducky nodded towards Tim and an archive photo of the Queen Mary at sea popped up on the plasma. "She still holds the records for most people moved in a single crossing. 16,082 American troops to be exact."

"The Queen Mary!" Ziva finally remembered the name. "That's in Los Angeles, isn't it?"

"Long Beach, dear." Ducky nodded realizing he never thought there would be a trail left for him to follow. "Delilah Stuart was a restorative genius of woods before she died." His voice sounded as though he knew first hand what her job entailed. "She was called upon to restore parts of the Queen Mary during renovations before they opened her as a hotel. She never mentioned what parts of the ship were under her tender care when I knew her but it certainly captured her imagination being part of the process. She was still working on it when we went our separate ways. The project took her up through the scandal trials to complete her portion of the renovations."

Gibbs noted the saddened look in Ducky's eyes and said to his old friend. "She left a clue for you on the Queen Mary, Duck."

Ducky sighed noting the gleam in Jethro's eyes. "She left these clues for the person who would find them in the furniture, Jethro." He looked to Jethro knowingly. "I was one of thirteen who received antiques from Delilah Stuart."

McGee frowned then looked at his PDA since it beeped then began typing on the keypad.

"Trevor's killer would be following the same clues." Tim pointed out. "Hach sent these up. A number of the furniture pieces destroyed within the last three weeks, letters and numbers were left out of the line."

Ziva frowned then looked to Gibbs. "Someone was trying to link the numbers and letters in order by locating the antique furniture. They weren't after the antiques for anything hidden inside. Someone has a list of the furniture sent by Delilah Stuart."

Gibbs looked to Ducky. "Only the clue that was partially erased in each piece we've found so far. I bet your roll top desk has the only intact clue, Duck."

Ducky lifted his chin. "We don't have to go that far, Jethro."

Tim and Ziva looked towards one another with twinkles in their eyes. This evidence was clearly meant for someone to find. Would it be to find the money not recovered from the organ selling scandal? Or was it personal closure for Ducky to find?

Either way, this meant one thing: FIELD TRIP.

**Chapter Twenty-Six**

The ship gleamed in the sunlight. The ivory on black with red steam stacks rose above the water in Long Beach Harbor. One of the few remnants of true history in a city shaken constantly by the movement of the earth, it was a landmark few appreciated. However, the City of Long Beach wanted to restore and maintain the history the ship earned over her thirty-one year history.

Dressed in the NCIS gear, Gibbs stood with Ducky, Ziva and Tim McGee at the bottom of the stairs leading up the Queen Mary Hotel. But they were not staring up at the ship. They were gathered in a group watching Hach on Tim's PDA screen.

"I've completed a non-invasive scan of your roll-top desk, doctor." Hach nodded without smiling. "The clue: Hull 534.B340 is clearly intact and visible with my imaging equipment. We can confirm you're antique is the only full clue left by Delilah Stuart that she distributed antiques to prior to her death. I can have a copy made for you if you'd like."

"That's not necessary, Hach." Ducky was flabbergasted Delilah had thought about him. "Thank you."

Hach nodded then cut transmission.

Tim looked up at the ship then. "It's impressive."

"All that history in one ship." Ziva agreed standing next to Tim. "You can almost feel it just staring at her."

Gibbs walked up behind the pair. "Are you two done yet?"

Tim's eyes widened then gave Ziva a sideways glance. "Sorry, boss. Just awing for a moment."

Both agents moved towards the stairs.

**Chapter Twenty-Seven**

The porter, James Lawrence, led the three NCIS agents and pathologist along the hallway towards the stateroom B340. He wore the uniform for the Queen Mary Hotel and jingled keys in his hands nervously. It was not often he was requested to escort someone to Stateroom B340. His eyes veered side to side and behaved rather jittery. Gibbs noted his behavior.

"Is there a problem, Lawrence?" Gibbs wanted to know.

"Ah." He hesitated then stopped to look at Agent Gibbs. "It's just that we don't let this room out normally. There's been a lot of haunting activities reported. People have run out in the middle of the night screaming about the little girl who's said to live there."

Gibbs only eyed the young man. "You afraid of ghosts?"

"Me?" James frowned. "Never used to bother me until I took this job." He paused. "It's on thing to hear stories and its quite another to watch people run away."

Gibbs nodded towards the room and sighed after James Lawrence resumed his escort duties.

Ziva leaned towards Tim as they started after Gibbs and Ducky. "If I were a ghost, I'd take up needle-pointing on the day Gibbs was visiting."

Tim and Ducky chuckled at the idea of a ghost trying to scare Gibbs.

**Chapter Twenty-Eight**

The door to the stateroom was opened and James opted to stand outside the room. Gibbs entered the room first followed by Ducky then Tim and Ziva. Tim and Ziva seemingly held their breath upon entering in case a ghost jumped out. Gibbs scanned the room: the bed center below the porthole, the small vanity off to his right and the small door leading to the bathroom beyond.

Ducky turned around where he stood. "It's larger than I remember."

Gibbs was amused then leaned over and said softly. "How much of it did you actually see back then, Duck?"

Came the whispered reply. "Hardly any."

Tim and Ziva were distracted by the elegance of the Queen Mary stateroom and apparently did not hear the exchange. Gibbs watched Ducky for a moment then chuckled. Ducky smirked at his past then quickly covered his amused expression to hide it from Tim. There was no need to bring the young agent into his memories.

Ducky could not help but to add. "Yes indeed."

Tim looked around then turned back to Ducky ignoring his quiet comment he could not quite make out. "There's not many places to hide." He had to point out the obvious. "It's been renovated completely when they opened it as a hotel. No way someone could hide the money without it being found by now."

"Maybe Delilah left another clue where the money was hidden here somewhere." Gibbs offered to redirect the conversation. "Clearly she wanted someone to find it."

"Where would she leave a clue?" Ziva moved towards the bathroom and peered in.

"You think she'd left another clue?" Ducky was the last to know this. "I doubt Delilah is leading me anywhere but on a wild goose chase."

Ziva disagreed. "Then why leave this room number inside the furniture?"

Gibbs squatted by the vanity taking out his flashlight. He lowered his head beneath the vanity top. It was the only wood top in the room. If she followed the same MO leaving clues behind as she did previously then another clue was close to being found.

"Got it." Gibbs read the three letters. "G. B. P."

Ducky looked to Tim. Ziva came out of the bathroom having cleared it and looking around at the dusty fixtures since the room was not used regularly. James checked his watch.

"Is this all you need?" James stepped into the room.

Gibbs got to his feet suspicious. "You in a hurry, Lawrence?"

"It's James actually and I despise being called 'Jim'." He paused at Agent Gibbs steely glare. "Lawrence is my last name." He lifted his chin confidently. "I've got a ghost hunter coming in ten minutes to look at this room." Then he glanced at his watch as if unaffected by Agent Gibbs. "I'll have to break off to go meet him shortly." His radio beeped at that moment.

"James." A male voice crackled lowly over the radio. "That ghost guy's here. Sent him your way since you're already there."

He took the radio from his waist and pressed the button to talk. "Copy that." James replied into the radio.

Gibbs looked to Ducky knowing the person pretending to be a ghost hunter would be Trevor Macelli's killer. James noted Gibbs wave at him and the others moved out of sight from the hallway against the wall. Tim and Ziva pulled their weapons in case the ghost hunter was armed.

James Lawrence stood tall and greeted the man with a handshake. "Mr. Grayston. I'm glad you made it safely."

"I see you have the room ready for me." A tired but energetic Travis LaConte walked into the stateroom.

He paused seeing Gibbs then looked to where Ziva leaned against the wall in a suggestive pose. He noted the badges worn on the jackets. Gibbs and he eyed one another then LaConte whipped around and pushed his way past James Lawrence with Gibbs hot on his tail.

Tim and Ziva followed Gibbs out of the stateroom and down the hall pulling their SIGs from their holsters. LaConte moved fast and nimble down the hall putting easy distance between him and Gibbs.

LaConte reached the main stairwell and headed down into the belly of the Queen Mary. Gibbs followed the path while Tim and Ziva veered off in an attempt to head LaConte off.

Ducky followed the group out into the hall.

James Lawrence looked down at the shorter man. "Are your days normally this busy?"

"This is a rather quiet day really." Ducky looked up at James. "A busy day would constitute being shot at."

And then he quietly walked towards the main entrance to the hotel leaving James Lawrence to gawk after him. There was no rush to get off the Queen Mary today. A group of NCIS agents from the LA office would be waiting for LaConte if he tried leaving the ship. He doubted Jethro would permit LaConte from getting by them easily but Travis LaConte was a few years younger than the special agent. And a man trying to avoid being caught breaking parole would not want to be caught so easily and had little to lose to make every effort to escape.

**Chapter Twenty-Nine**

Ziva and Tim split up when they reached the former kitchen of the Queen Mary currently on the self-guided tour. A group of seven tourists were walking through with a couple idling by the main entrance of the single direction tour. There were arrows stuck to the floor to point you in the right direction in case you got lost along the way.

Holding out her hand, Ziva signaled for everyone to stay quiet and not move. Her eyes followed the arrows only twenty feet then veered her attention to the corners and possible hiding spots within the kitchen area. The tourists began taking photos with their cameras. If he was hiding in here, he could slip past them without being seen.

Tim disappeared through the far pressure door earlier while Ziva did a quick check to see if anyone was hiding in the smaller areas of the kitchen. As far as they knew, LaConte was not armed but it was best to take precaution.

Nothing. Ziva noted the tourists were not alarmed with the exception of her drawn SIG in her hand. She lowered it and followed McGee's direction.

**Chapter Thirty**

Gibbs lost track of LaConte about thirty feet ahead, his SIG in his right hand now. They were somewhere close to the old boiler room area now. It was easy to follow LaConte partially because of the cordoned off areas that were now disturbed from a man trying to flee.

A voice echoed up through the walkway. "And here's the first class swimming pool…"

LaConte broke through another loosely hung chain and into the main walkway of the Haunted Queen Mary tour route. A group of thirty people stood listening to the tour guide discuss the main story of the first class pool area. He paused in the darkness as only a few bothered to look over at the person crashing the tour.

The tour guide continued. "…drowned years ago. Some say her ghost still haunts the pool. On occasion people have reported lights and sounds emanating from that very hall across the way."

LaConte glanced around then turned to face the SIG pointed at him. He s[pun and attempted to jump over the railing to the poolside leading towards the far empty hallway. Gibbs leaped the railing as well and latched onto LaConte who lost his footing. Both men went over the side into the first class swimming pool deep end.

Seconds later, Tim and Ziva arrived as the tourists were standing on the railing looking into the pool. Ziva pushed through the crowd near the corner of the railing at the corner of the pool. She noted Gibbs had LaConte in handcuffs but his leg looked odd for some reason.

Gibbs glanced up and winced in minor pain but he appeared happy he sequestered Travis LaConte.

"You okay, Gibbs?" Ziva startled as her voice echoed slightly.

Tim was already looking for a way into the pool to help get them out.

**Chapter Thirty-One**

Gibbs exited the Queen Mary with a noticeable limp to his right leg. He managed to right his knee but there was some damage from the fall after all. He slowed then stopped when he noticed Ducky standing with Supervisory Special Agent G. Callen of the NCIS Los Angles Office of Special Projects. His stance and pretty boy appearance were unmistakable.

"I'm always cleaning up after you, Jethro!" Callen called up to him.

With him stood Jacob O'Donnell and Mark Nayburs in cuffs. The men were angry they were caught and the NCIS agents standing around them watched the pair closely. Gibbs smiled seeing the boyish face with the conniving smile greet him.

Gibbs made his way down to parking lot level

Callen walked forward when Gibbs emerged from the elevator, Tim and Ziva behind him with Travis LaConte helping him walk. Callen nodded towards Tim McGee, remembering the agent from their last trip to LA. Tim smiled then focused on keeping LaConte under control.

Gibbs moved to shake hands with Callen limping. "You look a little worse for wear."

Callen shrugged. "I've survived a few here and there."

Gibbs shook his head slightly. "Not the way I hear it."

"Looking a little worn out there, Jethro." Callen shrugged. "Hear you got a new team member." He paused at Gibbs expressionless face. "Oh come on, Jethro, the Ice Maiden isn't the worst you've ever had to work with."

Gibbs nodded. "True."

Ducky walked up to the two men and Callen turned to him and spoke plainly. "Good to see you too, Duck."

"And yet you've never come for a visit, Mr. Callen." Ducky smiled widely. "Perhaps next year we could coax you to take a vacation on the east coast?"

Callen turned serious. "You know I hate vacations, Duck." He turned to Jethro then asked. "Why did Hach request the specific equipment I brought with me on your behalf?"

Gibbs smiled then curled his index finger twice. "Come on."

Ducky and Callen exchanged a quick glance then followed Gibbs back towards the Queen Mary. Callen was amused that Gibbs bothered to come on the treasure hunt. Ducky appeared more annoyed than curious.

**Chapter Thirty-Two**

The three men stood on the wooden floor of the first class ballroom. It was typically used for functions: weddings, parties, anniversaries, a few New Year's and Halloween parties now and then and the occasional Sunday Brunch on special holidays. The pillars and tables were meticulously cleaned and preserved.

Callen stood with Ducky and Gibbs as the scanning equipment and their operators, three in total, began a slow motion of the bottom of the pillars next to the wooden dance floor. Ducky was unsure there would be anything those metal-detector apparatus' could find inside the tall, elegant pillars after all these years.

"I told you it's a waste of time, Jethro." Ducky sighed. "The money from the body part scandal's long gone by now. We both know that."

Gibbs stood resolute in his belief that Delilah Stuart must have left something here. However, Ducky was torn by his past affection for the woman rather than see the larger picture. One of the machines began beeping.

Gibbs, Callen and Ducky quickly walked over to the pillar nearest the open double doors. A crowd was beginning to form where the NCIS Agents formed a line across the doorway.

The picture on the small screen showed a rectangular box stacked on another on another up the interior square of the rebuilt pillar. Inside was the rectangular shape of something not nearly an inch thick.

"Gotta love Hach and her toys." Callen smirked. "She knew exactly what we needed to find this."

Ducky was awe struck seemingly unable to speak.

Callen looked over at Jethro and smirked. "Well, this doesn't happen often now does it?" He looked at Ducky.

Gibbs smiled back then patted Ducky on the back. "Must be love."

Ducky was slightly bent over unconvinced of this statement. But he made no effort to refute or codone Jethro's view point. In his mind, money was not a declaration of love. It only served to remind him of his past. One he tried to forget all these years.

**Chapter Thirty-Three**

Ducky Mallard stood on the Promenade deck of the Queen Mary looking out across the Long Beach Harbor as the ships moved across the water resembling glass. The darkened colors of sunset drew the day to a close as the sun began to fade.

He glanced to his left and an image of a woman in white smiling at him appeared. The twinkle in her eyes brought back the memories of Delilah Stuart. The one woman he could truly say he ever loved in this lifetime.

Ducky heard the sounds of NCIS tearing apart the pillars one careful piece at a time in the Grand Ballroom to recover the money made during the black market organ-selling ring. Somehow it felt good to have this experience and for a moment he wondered what his life night have been had Delilah Stuart stayed with him.

He took a deep breath and reminded himself that reality hardly constituted true happiness. Only his hope for that happiness, Ducky reasoned. This closure was necessary for him, he now realized on the deck of her majesty's ship, the HMS Queen Mary. Though he would never forget Delilah Stuart, he could move on now.

"Today's been a good day indeed."

And found he lost track of the recent days. For the life of him, he could not remember what today was. He began a chuckle at his forgetfulness remembering Delilah Stuart always did this to him. Despite his many years since their time together, she was always with him in his heart. There was, and would be, only one Delilah Stuart.

"And you always shall be." Ducky whispered.

THE END

_NEXT TIME on NCIS…_

_The apparent suicide of a petty officer has links to the recently escaped DC Haunt serial killer and a secret Hach has been hiding for years comes to light… _


	25. Episode 9: Paradox Part 1

**NCIS Season 9**

**Episode 9.9.1**

**Paradox**

**By: Lady JenDragon**

**Disclaimer: **We know the drill!

**Author's Notes: **Awe…they finally did a SWEET episode with Abby and it felt like NCIS. It was so touching. May the remainder of the season see similar writing!There's so much to do with these characters! Okay…onward with my own version of NCIS!

Do tell me if something's off, a character doesn't feel right or there are serious editorial errors. Guess I could use an editor every now and then. All criticism is considered constructive here.

* * *

**PARADOX**

**Part One**

**Chapter One**

Bethesda Medical Center Psyche Ward appeared calm and quiet at eight o'clock in the evening. Many of the patients were settled in their rooms for the night. Only a few were allowed to stay out past eight since they were usually the least dangerous of the building. One of them stood below the television aware of the events unfolding under the media coverage. She wore a white tank top and white pajama pants. Her face was grotesquely disfigured on the right side leaving hardly any visible beauty she once possessed. The lone woman stared up into the newscaster's face.

The pretty, young anchorwoman was dressed in a blood red suit with white shirt and pearl earrings.

"AND THE LATEST NEWS, SERIAL KILLER RYAN NICKSON, WELL KNOWN AS THE D.C. HAUNT KILLER WILL BE IN ROUTE EARLY TOMORROW MORNING TO THE SUPERIOR COURTS IN WASHINGTON D.C. TO ATTEND A FINAL APPEAL HEARING SINCE NEW EVIDENCE CAME TO LIGHT LAST YEAR. HE'S CLAIMED THAT HE IS INNOCENT OF THE CRIMES HE WAS CONVICTED MORE THAN TWENTY YEARS AGO. HOWEVER, MANY IN THE D.A.'S OFFICE SUSPECT THIS IS JUST AN ATTEMPT TO CAUSE A MEDIA FRENZY DESIGNED TO ONLY REMIND THE PUBLIC OF THE TERROR THAT KEPT MANY IN THEIR HOMES OVER THAT INTENSE SUMMER AND FALL. MORE THAN TWENY YEARS HAVE PASSED AND THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THE COURTS HAVE ALLOWED TO HEAR THE EVIDENCE THAT NICKSON'S LEGAL TEAM CLAIMS TO HAVE FOUND THAT POINTS TO HIS INNOCENCE. THE ONLY SURVIVOR FROM HIS REIGN OF TERROR WAS NOT AVAILABLE FOR COMMENT. IN FACT, SHE HAS BEEN OUT OF THE PUBLIC SPOTLIGHT THESE LAST TEN YEARS AFTER A VICIOUS ATTACK DURING A TRAINING MISSION. THE COURTS EXPECT A LARGE TURNOUT OF PROTESTORS TOMORROW MORNING UPON NICKSON'S ARRIVAL TO PROTEST THE HIGH COURT'S DECISION TO HEAR THE NEW EVIDENCE. IN OTHER NEWS…"

The woman seemingly stood frozen at the news. She could read between the lines. There was obvious worry and concern in her body language that made every muscle suddenly tense. Her right hand was fisted tightly, gently patted against her thigh in a silent rhythm. She began to pace back and forth not as a mental patient. But someone worried for personal safety.

She glanced up at the screen and whispered. "He's coming for me."

The story continued to unfold on the screen and she watched eagerly. She stared up at the TV until an orderly walked up. He was a thin man with light brown hair, sunken eyes and darkly circled, his features fine but average and severely scarred from teenage acne. But he was a kind guy who usually offered advice to the occasional patient or two.

"It's okay, Gwen." Ralph smiled. "Nothing will happen to the bastard he doesn't deserve."

"The courts are listening to him." She pointed out.

"Everyone has a right to be heard." But Ralph disagreed. "He's good at manipulation, that one is. Lawyers listen to him because they think he's going to make them a household name. All the evidence proved his guilt. It's irrefutable. This is just a publicity stunt. A last ditch effort to save his ass from the needles waiting with his name on it."

"You believe he's got an ulterior motive?" Her voice was quiet.

"He's always got something on his mind." He nodded.

Gwen said nothing pondering.

"Time for lights out." Ralph reached up and turned off the television. "Always bad news they show. Nothing good ever comes from them over-paid people." He leaned towards her and whispered. "No one knows you're here."

The woman simply known as Gwen stood unconvinced. She nodded towards Ralph then decided it was time to leave. As she walked under the ceiling lights, her red hair popped then dimmed as she padded her way down the hall.

**Chapter Two**

Two kids in jeans and t-shirts with light coats chased one another through the forest along the wide dirt trail. It was a glorious Tuesday morning with overcast and temperatures in the mid-sixties. For once, nature agreed sending people outside on this wonderful fall morning.

Jacob Nameth glided along the dirt path on his push scooter. "Come on!"

His African-American features and medium build for his age range made him capable of out running his friend. Jack Addison, the lanky Caucasian kid behind him suddenly skidded to a halt on his own scooter. He thought he saw something white a few trees back.

"Wait Jake! There's something over here!"

Jacob backtracked to Jack wondering what he thought he saw this time and teased him often. "See another Sasquatch again?"

Jack pointed his face surprised by the find. "Look!"

Jacob looked at the woman dressed in white dangling from a thick branch, her head looking down from a rope tied in a figure eight before the knot. Her arms hung at her side as if she waiting for someone to take her down. Her fingers were curled slightly, her index finger pointed towards the ground. It appeared she was sleeping but the boys knew better.

"That's not…good." Jacob agreed for once.

The two boys backed up several steps and then ran for it. Neither said a word as the scooter was left behind to put some distance between them and the scene. But they would do the right thing.

**Chapter Three**

Ziva watched Tony do his morning grooming routine at his desk. Tony sat in front of a mirror as he looked closely at his skin in the reflection. He was seriously searching for anything that might cause a minor inflammation or a zit to appear out of nowhere.

Ziva sat back behind her desk amused. "After all these years, haven't you learned to do that at home?"

Tony did not even give her a glance. "I didn't have enough time to groom myself if I didn't want to be late, Ziva. It's my first official day back on duty."

She pouted her lips. "So I wouldn't get to drive?"

He smiled widely at her. "The perks of being senior field agent."

McGee walked in with four coffees in a drink holder, his daily bag hung on his shoulder. He distributed each coffee as he passed their desks, aiming for his own knowing there would be nothing waiting for him on the Reaper. The third cup he took from the holder and planted on Gibbs' desk despite their leader being noticeably absent this morning.

McGee smirked as he sat down with his own coffee and discarded the drink holder in his wastebasket. "Still grooming?"

"He never stopped." Ziva smiled folding her hands together. "Do you see all that hair?"

Tony suddenly became self-conscious.

Ziva motioned across her chest with a finger then pressed both palms on either side of her face and made a horrified expression. Tony glared at her knowing it would make him more self-conscious then looked quickly into the mirror at his face and then his hair. Ziva laughed at her desk.

Tim laughed silently enjoying these moments since his two teammates almost died a few weeks back during their first encounter with the Reaper that ended in an explosion. The alley was rigged to end the pursuit the Reaper arranged with NCIS on purpose. Tony dived and covered Ziva with his own body to keep his partner safe. Dr. Hature, Hach, went into surgery to aid with the removal of the debris from Tony and took charge of his recovery since she was a member of NCIS.

"Gear up!" Came the morning call.

Gibbs stormed through the office past McGee's desk in a blue jacket, a light blue polo with the Gibbs t-shirt beneath, dark charcoal gray slacks and his boots. He went to his desk, opened the drawer removing his SIG and badge then noted the new coffee on the desk.

Setting his coffee cup down and picking up the one Tim delivered, he continued. "Let's go! Got a hanging petty officer."

Tony, Ziva and McGee grabbed their field bags, weapons, and IDs. McGee picked up the phone and dialed quickly. The other party picked up replying they were already aware of the situation. Setting the phone down, he walked away from his desk.

"Ducky's already on his way, boss." McGee checked his watch to note the time.

McGee had to run to catch up to the others already at the elevator waiting for him. He barely made it before the doors closed.

**Chapter Four**

McGee and Ziva carried the equipment towards the crime scene through the forest. Gibbs led with Tony following their leader. Dr. Mallard and Mr. Palmer dressed in coverall suits were already on scene watching the LEO's work around the hanging corpse of the female in white t-shirt and pajama pants. Her red hair glistened in the sun.

Gibbs noted the scene. "What have we got, Duck?"

Ducky stood with his hands on his hips obviously annoyed he was kept from the body. "Nothing as of this moment. I haven't been able to get near the body yet. We've been waiting for you to arrive, Jethro."

Ziva and McGee began taking photographs of the crime scene then set about collecting evidence following bag-and-tag protocols. Tim took out a notepad for some quick scene sketching, finding something familiar about the victim but he could not place why she felt familiar. Tony stood talking to the kids who found the body taking their statements.

"DiNozzo drove." Gibbs suspected Ducky wanted to wait for him.

"Ha." Ducky began his story. "An excellent start for a first day back. I feel this reminds me of that case ten years ago of the poor Commander who stumbled into a lesbian bar."

Gibbs looked to the Doctor. "How many times are you going to tell that story, Duck?"

Ducky smiled. "It never gets old, Jethro."

Jimmy Palmer stared intensely at the body now being removed from the tree. "It doesn't seem like there's any extraneous injuries to the body, Dr. Mallard."

Ducky leaned closer for a better look. "I don't see anything amiss either, Mr. Palmer. From the outward appearance, I'd say it looks like we have a suicide here. Once we get her home I can give you more answers, Jethro."

"The sooner the better." Gibbs moved several feet before stopping, checking the numbers on the ground where some evidence was found.

McGee walked over to Ducky and Gibbs. Tony followed McGee and joined the group having completed his initial interviews with the witnesses.

McGee nodded. "Okay. You can have her, doctor. We got everything we need now."

Ziva walked over the Gibbs. "We just ran her prints. Gwendolyn Benack, petty officer but there's no other information in the file. No background, no current address, nothing. Her records were sealed by order of the SecNav." She paused to glance at Gibbs. "And the Director of NCIS…Morrow not Vance."

Gibbs nodded knowing something was special about this one. Something jogged his memory of a disfigured woman yet he could not clearly recall the exact connection. He took a drink from his coffee as he sifted through his memories.

Tony flipped through his notebook noting the disfigured face. "Our sailor certainly looks like she's been through hell. Her face is…"

Ducky realized he had seen these wounds before but where eluded him. "Nothing recent, I assure you."

He nodded wondering what the petty officer went through to become like that. "The kids, Jacob Nameth and Jack Addison discovered the body shortly after eight twenty on their way to the park. They were going for a game of baseball with their friends. They cut through the crazy people's yard since it's a quick shortcut. When they found her, they left their scooters behind and immediately called police who then called us." Tony squirmed at the distortion of the face. "Damn, that's…"

"Watch what you say, Anthony." Ducky warned. "Those who speak ill of the dead often find themselves on the dark side of karma."

Tony pursed his lips and shrugged. "Is this some relation to bad luck I should be worried about?"

"All it means is show some respect." Ducky requested politely. "She's had a tough life. Though some might argue yours hasn't been easy these past few weeks since meeting the Reaper."

"Yeah." Tony understood Ducky's meaning.

There was nothing more to say so he nodded then winced looking at the woman's scarred face again. He turned away and walked off quickly to join Ziva in evidence collecting. McGee smiled and continued with his task.

Ducky noticed Jimmy Palmer was distracted from his duties. "Any idea where she's from, Mr. Palmer?

Jimmy snapped back to reality. "Judging from her outfit, my guess is the local psyche ward."

Ducky glanced at Gibbs. "Very good, Mr. Palmer."

Gibbs patted Ducky on his way back to the car. "I'll see you later."

He suspected where the petty officer resided since they were on the Bethesda Medical center grounds. The psyche ward was not far from this location and made the most sense to begin his search there. It was time to pay someone a visit that could answer some questions.

**Chapter Five**

Inside the Bethesda Psyche Ward, Gibbs walked beside a forty-something doctor in a white coat, black slacks and white shirt with a green tie. They walked down the hall towards the social room of the psyche ward. They passed patient rooms and busy nursing and orderly staff.

The Doctor appeared perplexed. "We changed her name upon entry to keep her identity anonymous. Even if I could tell you what her real name is I could lose my license. You'll need a warrant to unseal those records, Agent Gibbs." He paused then changed the subject wanting to cooperate as much as possible. "I don't understand how Miss Benack escaped last night."

"There's no need for the warrant. I know who she is." Gibbs eyed every patient he passed. "How long has she been under your care, Doctor Zackey?"

He sighed relieved Agent Gibbs figured it out. "Miss Benack wasn't under anyone's care during her stay." Dr. Zackey was an honest man even if he was a bit flustered at having NCIS show up out of the blue this morning to tell him one of his tenants was missing, now dead, and no one knew about it. "We call them tenants, those who check themselves in here to keep the outside world away from them."

Gibbs frowned. "She's in a psyche ward."

Dr. Zackey shrugged. "It was decided that she needed a place away from society. After her attack by her CO, her mental stability was questioned, yes. However, she recovered quickly. Once we declared her a non-threat to herself and the public we tried to release her but she didn't want to leave the safety of the ward. She often said it was the perfect place to hide. No one could or would find her here."

Gibbs noted the environment in the ward where Petty Officer Benack resided. "Did she mention who wouldn't find her here?"

They passed a set of double doors. Gibbs searched for clues but found nothing that immediately popped. Everything appeared serene and calm.

"Miss Benack was a private person and rarely shared her inner thoughts with any of the staff." Dr. Zackey sighed. "We assumed it was her CO, Ron Banks, since he attacked her. She fought him off and won."

Gibbs shrugged. "I would've killed him."

Zackey smiled. "She almost did, caused severe wounds to him. Nearly cut his lungs out."

Gibbs smirked. "Good for her. No sign of any psychological trauma following the attack?"

It was clear Dr. Zackey liked Miss Benack. "Initially I thought so but she recovered remarkably well. I remained skeptical after our first six months in session. After her history, I thought there would be lingering nightmares and delusions from the attack. But she showed no sign of distress in the following months. My hands were tied legally there. The FBI wouldn't put her in witness protection so instead she asked if she could stay here until she could figure things out. She always felt safe here. My superiors agreed to allow her to stay."

"And you let her?" Gibbs found that odd.

He shrugged again. "It's the least we could do for one of our own. I doubt Ron Banks would bother seeking her out now. No one knows she's here…was here."

Gibbs needed more to go on. "Did she have any friends in the ward?"

He shook his head. "I'm afraid not. Miss Benack knew that to keep her location secret, it was best not to let anyone know where she was. None of the other patients bothered her and she left them alone. She was a model tenant."

Gibbs had much to think about. "For being a non-patient, was there any family who came to see her?"

"Just a mother but she died last year in a car accident, I think she said." Zackey paused remembering only a few details. "Miss Benack went to the funeral and returned here immediately afterwards. I don't know of any other family members who knew she was here."

"No siblings?" Gibbs had to cross off the list of questions. "What about her father?"

Again Zackey shook his head. "None that I'm aware of, Agent Gibbs. If you don't mind, I have a group session in ten minutes. I need time to prepare. Her room is the last one down the hall to the left. However, I doubt you'll find anything of interest there. She was good at keeping secrets, Agent Gibbs."

Gibbs felt something was off. "If I have any more questions, I know where to find you."

He nodded towards the agent. "You can call me anytime, Agent Gibbs. I'll make myself available if you need anything else." Dr. Zackey paused. "Gwen was showing the will to leave here, Agent Gibbs."

"You think she would've left?"

Zackey nodded. "I do believe that. Find her killer please, Agent Gibbs." He shook his head. "This is one person who didn't deserve this."

Gibbs nodded and left Dr. Zackey to the rest of his daily schedule. "They never do."

**Chapter Six**

McGee took a photo and did one last visual sweep of the room when Gibbs filled the threshold. He looked around the tiny room as McGee took several more pictures. There was little to nothing here in the room to indicate that a long-term tenant lived here at the Bethesda Psyche Ward. Miss Benack kept her secrets away from others. She feared someone finding her and others knowing about it.

McGee shrugged. "I found nothing suspicious in her room. I've bagged a few things but she kept her room clean and spotless."

Gibbs felt something was off but could not lay a finger on it. "I can see that, Tim."

Tim initially thought that and searched everything in the room for something remotely like a letter, written or typed. "Nothing like a suicide letter either."

Gibbs did not want to spend too much time here. "Bag everything and send it to Abby."

McGee hesitated. "Uh…Abby's off again to upstate New York. She's been..."

Gibbs glared at McGee knowing that meant Dr. Hature was back working with the team. A fact that still left a bitter taste in his mouth. He got the distinct feeling the smartest woman at NCIS despised him for some reason though it was never stated 'why'. He had yet to ask but then, did he really want to know? The younger agent took a deep breath and nodded.

"Just get it to the lab, McGee."

Gibbs watched McGee continue with job then nodded he was done for the time being. His eyes lower to the floor. He left the room for McGee to finish the remainder of the sweep. There was something that bothered him about the Petty Officer.

**Chapter Seven**

Gibbs entered the office with a fresh large coffee in his hand. His last cup went empty quickly since his visit to the Psyche Ward. He breezed past Tony and Ziva then sat behind his desk. On a pause, he looked to his team for answers.

Gibbs hesitated then asked. "Well?"

McGee spoke up first. "Boss, there's nothing on Petty Officer Gwendolyn Benack."

"Stillman." Gibbs offered. "Rerun it."

McGee frowned but did as he was told and was flabbergasted at what he found. "Petty Officer Gwendolyn Stillman was honorably discharged from the Navy ten years ago for psychological trauma. Her CO at the time, Captain Ron Banks, was dishonorably discharged after he tried to rape the petty officer. She got some serious injuries but then so did he during the attack. Her CO was high on cocaine at the time. He works at a mechanics shop in northern Virginia now. Petty Officer Stillman was disfigured as a result of the attack and was admitted to the psyche ward at Bethesda for evaluation."

Tony sighed almost sad. "And she never left."

Ziva nodded in agreement. "Explains the facial trauma we saw at the scene. She fought hard despite her injuries."

Tony held up his notebook. "She's also the famous Stillman from the DC Haunt serial murder case." That caught Gibbs attention. "Twenty-two years ago, she was the only survivor of serial killer, Ryan Nickson, at the age of fifteen."

Gibbs did not make the connection. "Stillman?"

Tony paused. "You know the case, boss?"

Gibbs shook his head. "The FBI botched it and the media had a field day. Before my time at NCIS. It was a department nightmare for years. He's due in DC today."

McGee tapped his fingers finding the information he sought. "Our old friend, a rookie FBI Agent back then, T.C. Fornell was the fourth agent assigned to the case."

Tony smirked then said sarcastically. "He does pop up at the strangest times, doesn't he boss?"

Gibbs ignored DiNozzo.

Ziva's face turned to an expression of surprise as she typed in the name and hit 'search'. "Gibbs! Nickson made a narrow escape this morning. His transport bus overturned on its way to the DC courts. He's been on the run since seven-thirty this morning."

"Ryan Nickson's escaped and his only survivor just happens to commit suicide." Gibbs thought it was more than coincidence.

"The media gets wind of this…" Tony did not have to finish the rest.

McGee shook his head bringing up the location of the bus on the plasma screen for the team to look at the data he was running at the moment. "Plausible but unlikely. Where the bus overturned is more than sixteen miles from Bethesda. I hate to say it, but Nickson couldn't have done this even if he knew how to run a two-minute mile. Thirty minutes to get to Bethesda hang a Petty Officer and leave without being seen? That's not enough time, boss."

Tony glared at McGee. "And how do you know that, McAntiRun?"

McGee smirked and gave his head a little attitude nod. "From eyewitness accounts he was headed in the opposite direction of Bethesda Medical Center." He lifted his eyebrows at Tony. "Bet I could still beat you in a race, Tony."

Gibbs knew not to take too much for granted at the moment. "What about the kids who found the body?"

Tony perked up. "They didn't see anything or anyone around the crime scene. They were on their way to the park when they found the body hanging."

Gibbs suddenly left his desk and the Gibbs' Den. Tony, McGee and Ziva looked between one another. Tim smiled then set his attention on DiNozzo.

"Awe, look what you did Tony!" McGee smiled. "You made Gibbs leave."

Tony took a deep breath then sulked.

**Chapter Eight**

Ducky shut the door on drawer 110. He turned and leaned against the door somewhat disturbed by his latest victim. It was rare that a case hit home and this one was certainly one of them. Taking a deep breath, he sighed. Looking up, he found Gibbs watching him.

Gibbs held his coffee cup in his right hand. "What have you got, Duck?"

Ducky shook his head grimly. "I never thought I'd see the Stillman girl in my autopsy room, Jethro. What that girl must've gone through in her life."

"Duck, it's nothing personal."

He disagreed. "It was very personal for me back then."

Gibbs frowned. "You assisted on the DC Haunt murders?"

Nodding his head, Ducky moved to sit down in the chair at the tiny assistant's desk near the drawers Jimmy set up this morning. "Much to my disgust, yes. I was brought in later on during the investigation. The other M.E. was overwhelmed and needed a break. NCIS kindly offered their services readily back then. They aren't nearly as willing these days. It was difficult for me back then since I was a still a young man. I wanted to roam the world. I believe I was returning from France at the time."

Gibbs did not come for stories. "Ducky. What. Have. You. Got?"

His head perked up. "Oh yes, yes." Pausing before continuing. "Back to the present. I'm afraid nothing unusual. From first glance, I'd confirm my initial guess of suicide."

He did not find comfort in that assessment. "You think its suicide?"

"Cause of death is strangulation." Ducky nodded 'yes-no'. "However, there was the lack of bruising on her hands and feet that causes me to doubt my initial assessment."

He knew Ducky would find the truth. "Means she didn't get up there by herself."

Ducky never found solace in the dead. "Certainly not. But someone wanted us to think she got up there by herself."

Gibbs agreed. "There would have been scrapes and cuts on her hands from climbing the tree."

Ducky nodded. "Plus the tree she tied the rope to was a bit thick for someone her size. Someone had to help her up there either just before her death or just after. I can't tell from the wounds. Time-of-Death was a six-forty this morning, Jethro. Nickson's bus overturned at seven thirty. He didn't do this."

"But we still need to catch him." Gibbs knew one case out weighed the other. Ducky's assessment left quite a few questions. "So who would want the survivor of the DC Haunt murders dead?"

Ducky frowned. "Not Ryan Nickson. He wasn't finished with her yet."

Gibbs thought this as well. "He would've tried again though."

Gibbs left the room onto his next target.

**Chapter Nine**

Gibbs entered the Forensics Lab, and rather surprised, to find his Goth forensic scientist standing at her computer. He smiled that she was back where she belonged despite being told she was off again on the Perfecto case. The glass enclosure would be in the lab for another few weeks until the leak was confirmed found and repaired then the wall repaired and painted.

Gibbs liked having Abby back. The computer screens searched the AFIS database in one window, chemical analysis popped up in another window and three photos were laid out side-by-side up top to complete the analytical portion of his visit. Abby turned towards the door suddenly alarmed.

"Geez, Gibbs!" A hand over her heart. "Make some noise when you come in next time! You scared me!"

He smiled and replied. "I thought you were in upstate New York?"

Abby appeared disappointed. "I was. Evidence trail went cold again last night so I came back." She clenched her fists together and raised them skyward. "It's so frustrating!" She brightened then and circled her arms until her palms were face-up. "Have you seen my new lab?"

Gibbs glanced around quickly and felt it appeared the same as it always had. "Yeah."

Abby clapped her hands happily. "She's amazing, isn't she? Hach hooked me up with all the latest top of the line equipment! I don't know how she did it! I'm so psyched! My new master mass spectrometer is unbelievably fast! It'll cut my analysis time in half now!" She could almost dance. "I'm so glad I had time to come check everything out before we got the case this morning!"

Gibbs took a drink of his coffee. "Did Ducky send you anything?"

Abby lost her enthusiasm suddenly. Her foot twisted to the side and she dropped her shoulder. This brought on the Abby sigh and it was deep. She turned away from Gibbs.

"I checked everything from Stillman's room, got nothing but her prints. No one else was in there recently, not even the cleaning crew. Ducky also sent me some tissue samples to confirm a DNA match. He wanted to be sure since her CO disfigured her face so badly after that attack. Wouldn't want to have the wrong person identified and they pop up alive later on, now would we? Our Ducky doesn't make mistakes." Abby needed to change the subject. "Anyway, I'm glad she didn't give up. I'd have killed him myself personally, her CO. But you know, all the imposters we've had over the years, I didn't wanna screw this one up. The DNA's still running and the prints are running through AFIS."

"Abby, it's okay." Gibbs put an arm around her and kissed her forehead. "You'll catch the bastard."

Abby wanted to scream moving to the plasma screen for answers. "I'm glad you feel that way, Gibbs. Right now I feel like I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop. Both in my own lab and on the Perfecto case."

Gibbs followed and turned Abby to face him.

"He'll mess up eventually, Abs." Gibbs knew she wanted to desperately catch Perfecto. "Pray a victim fights him off like Petty Officer Stillman did with hers and gives you what you need to catch his ass."

There was a sudden crash of glass and wood echoing through out the lab. Gibbs glanced around looking for the damage, his hand on his SIG hilt, the other firmly around his coffee.

Abby smiled, her gloominess over. "Relax, Gibbs! It's just my new master mass spectrometer. Hach thought it'd be funny to have a crash sound to signal my results. Don't you just love it?"

"Yeah…" Was all he knew how to say in this moment of confusion.

He crossed the floor and stood next to Abby reading the mass spectrometer readout. According to Abby's face there was nothing conclusive from the samples she ran from this morning's crime scene. Another beep from the computer indicated results from the AFIS search.

Gibbs squinted back at the computer screen unable to read it completely despite squinting. "You ran an open search through AFIS for DNA?"

Abby shrugged and went to her calling computer. "Ducky told me to in case something unusual popped up. I wasn't sure what his motives were but I'm more than glad to do as he asks. He doesn't ask for much very often, our Ducky."

Gibbs noted something was off. "What the hell is that?"

Abby was shocked. "What? That's not possible! Two hits from AFIS for the same DNA?" She looked closer and was shocked. "No way!"

Gibbs smiled realizing Ducky knew something he did not. "Yes way."

Two photos appeared on screen one of Petty Officer Gwendolyn Stillman of the Navy and one of Dr. Guinevere Hature of NCIS. Abby stood beside him with both hands over her mouth, eyes bulging.

"We have twins, Gibbs!" Abby did not know how to feel at this moment since one was dead and one was alive, frowning. "Hach never mentioned she had a sister. Let alone a twin one, at that." Abby suddenly had a thought. "I wonder if she knows?"

Gibbs left the lab immediately and slightly annoyed.

**Chapter Ten**

Ziva arrived back at the office and walked over to her desk. Unsure what was transpiring in their office, she looked to Tony, who sat at his desk, for clarification. Tony shrugged and pointed to Dr. Mallard. McGee tapped away at his computer pretending to work on something important. Clearly they were avoiding being involved in the conversation between Ducky and Gibbs.

Ducky sat calmly in Gibbs' chair facing Jethro who stood in front of the plasma screen. On screen were a picture of Petty Officer Gwendolyn Stillman and Dr. Guinevere Hature. Gibbs turned and leaned towards his friend.

"You knew there were two of them?" Gibbs wanted to be a bit more aggressive.

"Of course." Ducky was surprised by Jethro's anger. "As soon as I completed the autopsy, I realized the bone structure was something I'd seen before. Hach once mentioned her parents divorced when she was a child. At around the age of six, I think. They must've separated them then. I remembered the girl's face and thought Hach reminded me of her." He shrugged. "I did some checking."

Tony stood up at that moment and walked over to Gibbs desk. "Dr. Hature and Petty Officer Stillman are twins?" He whispered with a smile on his face lifting his chin. "My dream fantasy…twins."

Gibbs and Ducky turned and glared at DiNozzo.

"You done, DiNozzo?"

Tony shook himself back to reality. "Sorry, boss."

Ducky reasoned. "Before the disfigurement, yes they were, indeed, identical twins in appearance. During Ryan Nickson's apprehension the girl received fingernail scratches across the right eye. He left three scars, I'm afraid. I found those on our victim."

McGee finally found what he was looking for and transferred it to the plasma for everyone to see. "Captain Samuel Hature, ex-Navy Seal, took one Guinevere Hature into custody, age six." He paused. "I didn't know Hach's first name was Guinevere." Tim paused at Gibbs' expression. "Not important. His ex-wife took Gwendolyn in the divorce. The attack by her CO left the right side of her face barely recognizable."

Ducky felt a little pang of pity for Gwendolyn Hature Stillman. "Not even plastic surgeons could piece what was left back together again."

Ziva was amazed. "What she must've gone through."

Gibbs looked at DiNozzo. "Find Dr. Hature!"

Hach walked towards the office from the direction of the lab. "Relax. I'm right here, Agent Gibbs."

Ziva, McGee, Dr. Mallard, Gibbs, and Tony faced Dr. Hature now standing next to McGee's desk. Her angle was one where she could not immediately see the plasma. Judging from the look in everyone's eyes, something was going on with their recent case. Moving forward she turned to find the name of a Gwendolyn Stillman on the screen.

Tony went all smiles at her, his arms out wide in a 'come get a hug' manner. "Hach!"

"Can it, DiNozzo." Hach turned and glared at DiNozzo that he lost his fake excitement at seeing her. "Why does everyone think I'm Petty Officer Stillman?"

Ducky stood up, his eyes set on Dr. Hature. "There's a lot you don't seem to know, my dear."

Ducky wondered how much Hach knew about her childhood? Did she know about Gwendolyn? If she knew, then the name would have gotten a very different response. Only the dead were shown here. Hach looked at him then.

"Then I suggest you bring me up to speed, Doctor." Her eyes shifted to Gibbs. "Agent Gibbs." Hach refused to be placated until she knew what was going on, folding her arms.

TO BE CONTINUED…


	26. Episode 9: Paradox Part 2

**NCIS Season 9**

**Episode 9.9.2**

**Paradox**

**By: Lady JenDragon**

**Disclaimer: **We all know NCIS belongs to someone else…

**Author's Notes: **Let me know whatcha think.

* * *

**PARADOX**

**Part Two**

**Chapter Eleven**

In the Director's office, Hature stared at the screens along with Leon Vance and Agent Gibbs standing behind her. She went through the DNA tests, toxicology screen results, fingerprints and photos of the crime scene. Vance and Gibbs exchanged a glance that she was so calm after learning about her twin sister's death.

"So, I see." Hach frowned. "My sister was killed then."

Why was Vance not surprised? "You knew?"

Hach turned to face Director Vance, ignoring Agent Gibbs.

She replied evenly. "I have four PhD's, how could I not know I have a sister? I was a year from getting my first PhD at CalTech when the DC Haunt murders became headline news. I knew something was off when my photo was posted everywhere in the newspapers and on TV. Whenever I went out, people looked at me as though I was some kind of ghost. My father told me about my mother and sister when I pressed for more information."

Vance reminded Hach. "No one knows Gwendolyn Stillman is dead yet."

Hach looked innocently at Vance. "And this means what to me, Director?"

Gibbs smirked. "It means we can still capture Ryan Nickson."

Vance pointed out. "We know he'll be after the one that got away."

Hach countered. "By letting him think I'm Gwendolyn no less. How original." She paused to consider the two men she knew were friends. "I don't think so. My lab is now open in Norfolk. Find someone else to use as bait."

Vance watched the pair with curiosity sensing animosity. "Do you two have a problem I should know about?"

Hach and Gibbs both looked to Vance then back at one another. Hach sighed, Gibbs stiffened and looked at Vance. She folded her arms and closed her eyes.

"I'm a forensic scientist, Director. I don't do field work. I've closed a lot of cases on murders by being in the lab. And now I should just jump up and volunteer for a mission?" She paused then looked sideways at Gibbs. "Seriously?"

"Yes." Gibbs thought the answer was clear.

She frowned deeper. "I'm not one of your team, Agent Gibbs."

Hach turned to leave but not before she glanced at Gibbs looking to Vance.

Vance liked what he saw. "You know I can force you, Dr. Hature."

Hach retorted. "And you know what my resigning from NCIS will mean for this agency, Director." She paused. "I belong in my lab where my skills are better utilized."

Gibbs disagreed realizing why she could aid an investigation like she did a few weeks ago after Tony and Ziva were injured. "You belong in the field."

"You don't know where I belong, Agent Gibbs." Hach walked to the door, opened it and slammed the door behind her.

Both winced at the slamming door.

Vance looked at Gibbs and with a smirk said. "She's colder towards you now then before. What did you do to piss her off this time?"

Gibbs was unsure. "I have no idea."

Vance wanted to see how things would play out. "You find a way to get her cooperation without bribery and threats, Agent Gibbs. She can out think any criminal we put her on the trail of."

"She was an agent once, wasn't she?" Gibbs was not surprised.

He knew how agents behaved. It threw him off the first time he watched her work in the lab. Initially, he assumed it was because of her strict adherence to protocols that made her so stringent. But she displayed the aptitude for fieldwork on the case involving the figure skater, Desdemona Ryker. She showed the ability to pick up how crime scenes were processed and how collected evidence was handled.

Vance nodded. "Damn good one once I got the skinny from Morrow yesterday." He shook his head. "She started in the lab at twenty-two just after she received her fourth PhD from MIT in bioengineering. Then one day out of the blue she requested the chance to become agent. Morrow wouldn't tell me specific details but she was better than you at that age."

Gibbs knew a dig when he heard one. "Why did she lose her agent status?"

"I don't know but it's all very hush-hush." Vance hated not knowing the depths of his people.

"It would embarrass NCIS." Gibbs stated to obvious.

Vance nodded his agreement with the assessment. "Only Director Morrow knows what happened. All I can guess is that it was in Europe, nothing on home soil." Vance remembered the cryptic conversation. "He's the one who took her status and refused to give me any more answers."

Gibbs read between the lines. "So either you don't know or you don't want to tell me?"

"Both." Vance glared at Gibbs. "Now get going and ask her nicely."

Gibbs hesitated before leaving the office.

**Chapter Twelve**

In autopsy, Hach stood beside drawer one-ten, the door opened and the flat-table extended out so she could look at the corpse of her sister. Only the face was uncovered. Hach stared hard at the left side of Gwendolyn's face. There was barely any resemblance left now. A tear cascaded down her cheek.

"You were always one step ahead of me." She whispered to the dead. "And now it's too late."

Hach knew little of emotion yet this moment pressed on her. She wiped the escaping tear unsure why her eyes watered when she seemingly felt nothing. Gwendolyn never wanted her in her life. Otherwise, they would have agreed to a meeting sooner.

She had only one question. "Why could I never find you?"

Ducky watched from the far corner of Autopsy. "She didn't want to be found."

Hach looked up to find Dr. Mallard standing by the sliding metal door near his desk. It was difficult for her to trust others. However, Hach knew Dr. Mallard was a trustworthy and discreet man when it came down to these moments.

"Yes, I concluded that much." Hach already knew the stories. "She wanted to forget the negative aspects of her fame. She wanted to avoid public attention."

Ducky walked across Autopsy towards Hach. "After her escape from Nickson, she finished high school with tutors unable to be around other people for more than a year. She joined the Navy right after graduation fearing she would become an agoraphobic. Gwendolyn Stillman thought it would help her become stronger."

Hach understood the choices. "Just as I had my own path to become what I perceived to be the stronger version of myself."

Ducky sighed and spoke softly, serenely. "There's nothing here but questions, Hach."

"There are no answers to those questions here." Hach concluded.

"Depends on the question." Ducky watched Hach closely for signs.

He noted the tear trail next to her right eye but her expression was blank. Once again her emotions were unreadable just as Hach liked them. A clandestine woman like Hach rarely allowed others to witness an emotional breakdown. A pure scientist in many respects, something else was hiding beneath the carefully tended surface.

"I remember we used to play together as children." Hach sighed. "We were so different even back then. I would always try to teach her some facts about frogs or show her how to program the computer. We had one of the first computers ever allowed to civilians since our father was a Navy Seal. His commanders would always come to the house for dinner and bring things like that with them. But this time, Father brought it home. I spent hours on it marveling how it could do things if I ordered the buttons in specific sequences. Gwen wanted nothing to do with programming, deciding that she wanted to learn about the stars and unicorns." Hach paused since it was rare she shared personal memories. "My parents separated us because they didn't want to be together anymore. I wanted to know more about her since then. Did she ever get to study the stars?"

"You just wanted to know her." Parenting was a job he never did. "I believe your parents did what they thought was best for themselves. Not you." Hach remained silent so Ducky stated the obvious. "You can't be involved in this case, Hach. It's too personal."

"I was already asked to be serial killer bait, Doctor." Hach did not like to hide facts from people she considered colleagues. "I turned the Director down on account of poor taste."

Ducky smiled. "Jethro or the Director?"

Hach hated being considered less than capable. "Both actually. I do despised being strong-armed into cooperation. Agent Gibbs would get much farther with honey than with vinegar."

Ducky chuckled. "I doubt he'll care."

Hach shrugged. "Then he should try 'respect'." She looked at the doctor. "I've worked hard for everything I have and he dismisses me as if I'm some lowly forensic scientist. My being here at the Naval Yard is only due to Miss Sciuto's occasional absence while she aids the FBI in the hunt for Perfecto."

"Make no mistake, my dear, Jethro's not dismissing you." Ducky knew Hach would see Jethro Gibbs as a simple-minded agent with the level of education she amassed over her shorter lifetime. "He prefers his team when he's on a case. It's one of his rules. Always work as a team."

"Rule number 15 according to Abby."

Ducky smiled warmly. "She tell you about the rules?"

"Indeed." Hach found them ideal for working as a member of the Major Case Response Team unit at NCIS Naval Yard. "My first day here. She was insistent I learn them quickly."

"Abby is a valuable part of Jethro's team." Ducky rather liked the set up. "Each member contributes their expertise to the case."

"I'm not here to replace Abby, doctor." Hach eyed Dr. Mallard. "I'm also aware that Agent Gibbs' and his team have the highest percentage of closed cases of any unit in NCIS. I understand how his method works."

She remembered when she arrived at the Naval Yard, Abby stayed up all night cleaning the laboratory in honor of the Director of Forensics coming to aid while she pursued Perfecto. At six in the morning, the construction engineers came through the basement level determining where the water from a third floor leak was going and what walls were affected by the long term disrepair. Poor Abby, she went to get a Caf-Pow and in her absence, they punched a hole on the left side of the interior door to the lab minutes before Hach arrived as Abby returned from her quick errand. There was a foot wide hole, plaster, and a cloud of dust when they walked into the lab together to discuss how their usage of the lab would utilize the available space in order to avoid stepped-on toes. Abby froze just inside the door in terrorized fear of being declared unsuitable for forensic analysis by the NCIS Director of Forensics.

Ducky treaded carefully. "Ah, then you know it would be more helpful if you behaved more like a team player while you're here. You'll find things will go much more smoothly with Jethro that way."

"Why is Agent Gibbs like he is, Dr. Mallard?"

"Please, I prefer my colleagues and friends to call me Ducky." He smiled shortly at the curious stare from Hach. "I believe Jethro's story is for him to tell."

"I've already read his files." Hach folded her arms noting Ducky's look. "You're surprised?"

"I'm surprised you wouldn't have more respect for him after reading his file." Ducky knew the look of a woman spurned. "Then you know he lost his family and…"

"Is divorced three times." Hach did not care about the file. "I'm aware of his prior history. And he's proven himself as an astute investigator. Is this why he is hardened?"

"He's worked the Major Case Response Team for more than fifteen years." Ducky shook his head.

"I expected him to have retired already." Hach had seen agents burn out after dealing with death on a daily basis in Hawaii.

"He tried once." Ducky shrugged. "However, Director Shepard knew Jethro better than he knew himself. I'm afraid he doesn't do 'idle' very well." He did not miss the wince from Hach at the mention of the previous Director's name.

"I see." Hach said finally.

"I don't think you do. Don't think he'll give up on wanting your cooperation in capturing Ryan Nickson." Ducky felt obligated to warn her. "Jethro won't back down until he gets his way."

"I can be just as stubborn as he can." Hach was resolute.

"Out of curiosity, why did you dye your hair blonde?" Ducky remembered her red hair from conferences before.

"I lost a bet to Jay." Hach smiled, her anger softened at the memory of the bet. "I have fourteen months left on the loss."

Ducky nodded lifting his chin when Hach left autopsy. He knew Jethro Gibbs was aware Guinevere Hature was a redhead now. There was a spark between them whenever they were together. However, Ducky was unsure of the nature of Hach's perception of Jethro.

He whispered heading for his desk. "She does appear to have a preconceived notion of Jethro."

Did he wince at Jenny Shepard's name have something to do with it?

**Chapter Thirteen**

Abby rested against the computer table with eyes focused on her computer screens going over past results from the Perfecto serial killer case. Nothing really was happening as quickly as she wanted while she waited for results.

Hach entered the lab behind her.

"So this is what happens when I…" She paused. "What did you call it…totally pimp you out?"

Abby immediately bounced up and joyously turned to face her mentor. "Hach!" She ran to hug the much shorter, slightly horrified Hach. "I love my new lab! And the mass spectrometer is totally rocking! I can't believe you got the Director to sign off on restocking my entire lab with all new equipment! I thought I'd have to spend the remainder of my days using ancient equipment!"

Hach smirked. "I do what I can. Ducky tells me you're having issues."

Abby's outlook suddenly changed. "Uh…nothing I can't…"

"It's okay, Abs." She smiled.

"No!" Abby fisted her hands. "No it's not okay! I've got no clues at all!"

"Have you told Agent Gibbs?"

Abby suddenly got nervous and checked the door. Gibbs was not there surprisingly with his coffee in hand. She felt relieved. Normally he never showed up when she had nothing anyway but still. Abby liked to check anyway.

"Certainly not!" She sighed breathily. "I hate it when I've got nothing!"

"I have faith that you'll find something eventually." Hach knew better than to allow Abby to wallow in disappointment. "My lab at Norfolk is completed now. Anything they need while you're gone I can easily run there. Believe me, you won't leave them unaided in any way while you're away chasing Perfecto."

Abby hugged Hach again and the woman let her. "I'm going to miss you, Little 'H'."

Hach did not understand the sentiment from someone she knew so little. "I'm only two hours away, Abby. I'll see you on occasion."

Abby pointed her finger at Hach. "I'd better."

Hach smiled shortly. "I've got to drop off some reports." She squeezed Abby's hand when she appeared sad at the impending separation. "Take care of yourself, Abby Sciuto."

Abby waved sadly. "I will." Then tried to brighten without much luck. "Come back and visit!"

Hach shook her head as she left the lab, a smile on her face.

**Chapter Fourteen**

Everything was ready for her departure from the NCIS Naval Yard. Hach stepped into the elevator after dropping the final reports off to their respective agents. She turned to press the 'G' button to find Agent Gibbs preventing the doors from closing. Their eyes met for a brief moment before Hach sighed heavily and veered hers away annoyed he was using some intimidation tactic. He walked into the elevator and stood next to her taking the closest position to the operation panel.

Hach wanted to know. "You always walk so softly?"

Gibbs said nothing.

Hach glanced over at him and decided to say nothing more. She smiled as the door closed. Gibbs looked up towards the ceiling then took a drink from his coffee.

The elevator arrived at the garage oddly devoid of people. Hach stepped off the elevator first with Gibbs following her. He stopped just outside the doors. She walked down the hall deciding he was trying some kind of technique to rouse her curiosity so she would ask questions. Hach refused to play his game.

"Why did they take your agent status?" His voice was oddly low.

Hach was a bit surprise he knew about that, lifting her head at the question. She stopped and turned to face him. "It's none of your business."

"Couldn't hack it?" Gibbs queried.

Hach felt insulted at the innuendo. He was only saying this to rile her up and hope that in a moment of anger, she would spill the story for him. The file was erased, all details were sealed, and only a decree from the Oval Office could release them. She decided to play it calmly.

"Since you're not privy to the information then I guess you'll just never know."

"Help me take Nickson down."

Hach pointed out. "My lab is complete and fully functional in Norfolk. I'd thought you'd be happy to have your forensic scientist back, Agent Gibbs."

Dr. Hature made him suffer needlessly by being uncooperative. Gibbs also knew Leon Vance had little power over her. That irritated him to the point he wanted to find out just what she was hiding behind her wall of education. What kind of pull did she really have at NCIS?

"He's going to kill again if we don't catch him." Gibbs hated asking nicely.

Hach responded. "Do you like being a bastard ninety-percent of the time?"

Gibbs took a quick drink of his coffee. "I'm not always a bastard."

"When it doesn't involve a case or when you actually take a day off." Hach paused. "How often is that?"

Gibbs shrugged one shoulder. "I need you on this case."

She was unimpressed. "You should've asked nicely."

He frowned in surprise. "I just did."

"No, that was guilting me." Hach turned from him and sighed. "You really need to brush up on your people skills, Agent Gibbs."

"Your sister was murdered." He pointed out the obvious reason to become involved.

"Wouldn't want to get personally involved, would I?" Hach shot over her shoulder and smiled as she walked away.

Dr. Hature left Gibbs in the garage alone. He glared at her as she walked out and took another drink of his coffee. That meant he was on his own this time around. Vance was not going to like this. But then, when did he care about that?

He said lowly assessing Hach sideways. "There's more than one way to scare a cat."

And Gibbs had a feeling things might go his way. His instincts were telling him that Nickson would hunt Hature down thinking she was Gwendolyn. He had to put a detail on her and wait for the first attempt.

**Chapter Fifteen**

A view of the garage with Gibbs and Hach talking played on the plasma screen. Ziva stood next to Tony with McGee on his other side. They watched together trying to piece out what was going on between the two. Hach walked away from Gibbs and exited through the garage towards the employee parking lot with a smile on her face.

Ziva was impressed. "I've never seen that before."

Tim replied. "Yeah, she walked away…alive."

Tony was sure there was a rule in there. "Ouch, she used rule ten against him." He paused. "Gibbs let her get away? Well, I guess he doesn't have much of a choice. He's got no reason to hold her. He could try interfering with a federal investigation."

Ziva rolled her eyes. "Did you really think she'd fall for it?"

Abby walked up to the three and turned to look at the empty hallway leading to the garage on the plasma. "Hach has worked with us long enough to know how things are done around here."

McGee reminded everyone. "She's only been here a few months. There's a lot about Gibbs she doesn't know about. How did she know about Rule 10?"

Tony smirked knowingly. "I bet she's already read his file."

Abby said innocently. "I told her about the rules. Besides, Hach could get through any security in no time flat."

Tim remembered. "She did hack the Pentagon in a only few minutes."

Abby smiled. "She's got something Gibbs doesn't."

Tony folded his arms. "Why don't you enlighten us all, Abby."

Abby shrugged as if it was obvious, counting off on one hand. "The SecNav. The President of the United States. The Director of the FBI and Homeland Security. A few foreign presidents."

Tim's eyes widened. "She knows the SecNav personally?"

Abby smiled proudly. "Oh yeah! She's one well-connected forensic scientist, my little teammates." She pointed her finger at them. "Gibbs has officially met his match."

Tim agreed with Abby to a point. "Professional match, yes. They're almost exact opposites when you think about it."

Ziva could see it nodding. "Yeah, she does have everything he doesn't. They'd compliment one another if Gibbs wasn't so rock-headed and demanded his own way all the time. We could use someone with her skills and connections."

Tony rolled his eyes. "There's nothing wrong with Gibbs' head, Ziva. And it's hard-headed. Gibbs has his way of doing things and it works. Don't question our great white steely-eyed leader. Let me remind you that no one has his record at NCIS."

Ziva smirked. "Gibbs won't live forever, Tony. Eventually he'll retire from NCIS permanently."

Tony faked absolute shock. "No! Gibbs isn't like the rest of us." Then he paused slightly freaked out. "He'll…live…forever."

Tim huffed. "No one lives forever."

Ziva suddenly lowered her voice towards Abby. "You think there's some attraction between them?"

Abby frowned and pondered the thought. Then she smiled at Ziva who returned the gesture. Ziva took Abby by the arm and they began a quiet conversation between them as they walked back towards the lab. Tony and Tim were left alone to consider the question looking between them as though women were crazy.

"Ziva's off her rocker." Tony decided. "No way! Hach clearly doesn't like Gibbs."

Tim wanted to play devil's advocate. "Ah, you know what they say: if a woman treats you badly, she's hiding the fact she likes you on purpose."

Tony tried to laugh off Tim's point but found there was some logic to it. Tim smirked as Tony silently thought about the last few weeks since Hach came to the NCIS Naval Yard. The Director of Forensic Science would never openly admit to some underlying attraction to someone like Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs.

"Ah!" Tony pointed a finger at Tim. "You almost had me there, McNothing-There!"

Tim raised his eyebrows. "Think so, Tony?" He stopped to glance at the plasma screen of the garage hallway. "You've missed the past few weeks lately. Gibbs is fascinated by Hach."

"Hach made it clear she had no interest in our fearless leader." Tony knew women noting Tim's smile. "And you can tell, McTeen?"

Tim pointed out. "That would only spur a man like Gibbs on."

Tony hated that Tim McGee had a point then he shook his head. "No way!"

However, Tony had to admit there was something going on between the two. They did have chemistry even if Gibbs showed more patience than Hach did. Somehow, he felt Hach was testing Gibbs.

The 'ding' of the elevator broke the pair's consideration to Ziva's question. Tony picked up on the innuendo and got back to work appearing busy. McGee tried to play it cool by studying the plasma with his hands in his pockets.

Gibbs appeared in the office seconds later with his coffee suddenly suspicious of his team.

**Chapter Sixteen**

Hach sat at an outside café eating a small sandwich reading her text messages. She wore a black leather beret, long leather jacket with jeans and brown boots. Alone at the table, she appeared oblivious to everything around her as she ate her meal.

A man in a dark-blue hooded jacket, black slacks, and black shoes watched her from a distance. After several moments, he moved from his position taking steps closer to the busy café. Taking a while to study his target, he felt sure it was time to make an appearance. With each step, it brought him closer to Hach. She looked up as he reached the table.

"Yes?" Hach asked evenly.

The man tensed up before responding. "I'm looking for Second Street. I've got a date with this girl. I haven't seen her in a long time."

He showed her an address written on a piece of torn paper. Hach glanced at it innocently not recognizing the address off hand. After a second, it came to her. She ignored the intensity in his eyes.

"Three blocks up and two over should get you there." She smiled and returned to her meal. "Good luck!"

The man left in the direction she pointed. Hach returned to her text messages on her phone, replying to the latest one from someone in New York called 'Dopey Dud'. She smiled and replied back to several more as they came in then checked stocks. She looked up in time to find the same man running towards her.

"What the…" She leapt to her feet to avoid being tackled.

The man attempted to dive at Hach a second time but was accosted by two tall men exiting the café. Apparently, they noted the commotion outside and came to aid her. Both men tackled him to the ground in a flurry of fists and flailing legs. Hach found her phone and dialed nine-one-one immediately.

"Emergency!" She responded without giving her name. "Some guy just tried to attack me! At Bresslin's Café on Fifth!"

The 9-1-1 operator mentioned to stay there and wait for authorities to arrive. The man wrestled free of the two men and took off running down the street. One of the men took off after him wearing a black coat and black beanie. The other slowly got to his feet, his arm and hand bleeding from the altercation.

Hach shook her head. "This town's getting weirder and weirder."

Other people from the café moved in to help the man slowly getting up. It appeared several of them were nursing staff from the local hospital. Immediately, they had him sitting at a table and his coat was removed to check the severity of the injuries. She moved to approach the group until she heard a beep. Pulling out her phone, it beeped again.

Hach frowned when she pressed the button. "What's up with the lab?" She paused at the text message. "Strange, the electricity should be running already. Why is it off?"

Unaware of the sirens in the background, she laid money on the table for her bill and then left the café.

**Chapter Seventeen**

Hach walked towards the laboratory down a long, dimly lit corridor. Bulletin boards littered the walls filled with various posters, papers, and data all advertising books, equipment and supplies available for purchase. It felt like a college campus sometimes. She checked her watch noting the time to write it down later.

"I guess I can still make the flight to Connecticut once I'm done here." She was hoping to go see her godson at school.

Hach stopped suddenly. She turned to her left and closed the distance to the bulletin board. The newspaper clippings that littered the board were of the DC Haunt murder case. There were many smaller articles posted about the recent discovery of a body near Bethesda Hospital. She sighed when the name was kept anonymous. She found Gwendolyn Stillman's fifteen-year old high school photo from back then. Disturbed, Hach backed away from the board and moved towards her lab at a faster pace.

She removed a key ring from her pocket and searched through the keys, finding one. Though she carried a purse for the prudence of carrying multiple objects, she always kept her keys in her pocket. Ten feet from the lab door, she heard a clicking noise.

Hach stopped and looked around. She found no one lingering in the hallway in any direction. Though this part of the building was new. There were few personnel who would venture this way. It would be opened officially next week.

There was a sudden shudder of the building as she stood. She looked up as the ceiling tiles rattled and the walls vibrated.

Suddenly, the door to the new laboratory burst into flames. She felt the concussion wave of the blast as she was thrown off her feet amongst the thousands of glass, metal, plastic, and brick debris. She tried to cover her head but her arms felt sluggish and uncooperative. Hach slid across the floor into the display case of NCIS historic memorabilia.

Hach lay unconscious in the display case, the blood oozing from the gash in her hairline from the heavy cup that now lay beside her, resting against her arm. Debris and dust continued to settle around her as the fires burned flickering in the darkness. The evacuation alert and emergency vehicle sirens were heard in the distance.

**Chapter Eighteen**

It was getting late but no one wanted to leave yet. There was much to do to find out who killed Gwendolyn Benack, aka Stillman. Information on the plasma screen illuminated the fact that Gwendolyn Stillman became Gwendolyn Benack ten years ago, maintaining her Petty Officer rank with the Navy. No other information could be found on Benack other than her entrance into Bethesda six years ago.

"Four years unaccounted for." McGee whispered as he typed.

Tim sat at his desk tapping away at his email sending out inquiries and doing a file search on Gwendolyn Stillman. Ziva watched Tony playing a game on his computer while she gave him tips on tactics though it appeared they were working on the case.

Gibbs sat at his desk listening to someone on the other end of the phone. "Yes, Dr. Zackey?" His eyes shifted to pay further attention to what the good doctor was saying on the other end. "When was that?"

McGee's phone rang and he automatically picked up the receiver. "Special Agent McGee." His eyes widened. "Yes?" He paused and got to his feet then bent picking up his field bag and finding his weapon with one hand. "Right away!"

Tony and Ziva noted the change in McGee's demeanor and looked over. Gibbs turned his head while continuing to listen to the doctor on the other end of the line. He recognized the sudden change in the room and looked to McGee for a clue.

"Uh, huh." McGee nodded, his expression or worry deepened. "Got it."

He set down the phone and forgetting he already grabbed his field bag and weapon. It confused him momentarily then he shook his head and got back into the routine. His mind appeared focused and worried.

Gibbs put down the phone and turned towards his agent. "Tim?"

McGee suddenly froze remembering where he was.

Tim rolled his eyes at his thoughtlessness. "Sorry, boss. Someone just blew up Hach's new lab at Norfolk."

Gibbs got to his feet, Ziva ran for her desk, and Tony jumped up from his computer. A flurry of immediate action grabbing guns, field bags, and coats. The others were behind Tim as the elevator doors opened.

Tim remembered an important detail. "Ducky isn't needed, Hach wasn't in the lab when it exploded."

"Where is Hach now?" Ziva wanted to know.

"She caught the edge of the blast returning from dinner." Tim wanted to recall everything he was told. "The early report from Agent McNaulty says they found Hach unconscious in an NCIS display case with a possible concussion and some minor injuries. She was outside in the hall when the bomb went off. Paramedics have already arrived."

"Ouch. And she just got it completed too." Tony grimaced at the thought of the nice, new expensive equipment Abby showed them was in the renovated forensics laboratory at Norfolk. "The kind that makes Abby dream of analytical equipment it seems."

Gibbs remained silent knowing he would soon get Dr. Hature to cooperate his way. This was just one more notch in his case for going after Nickson. However, he wondered about how the lab was destroyed by a bomb. Another question he needed answered was: 'Did Ryan Nickson have the skills to do this?' His file never mentioned having skills in explosives and he had no military training.

TO BE CONTINUED…


	27. Episode 9: Paradox Part 3

**NCIS Season 9**

**Episode 9.9.3**

**Paradox**

**By: Lady JenDragon**

**Disclaimer: **We know the drill!

**Author's Notes: **My psychosis continues...

* * *

**PARADOX **

**Part Three**

**Chapter Nineteen**

Gibbs arrived with McGee and Ziva. Tony stopped to talk to the NCIS agents from Norfolk interviewing people at the end of the hall. NCIS and local Fire Department personnel walked in and out of the blackened lab area looking for and retrieving bomb fragments.

"What a mess." Gibbs commented.

Tim stood for a moment. "You think a serial killer could do this, boss?"

"Let's worry about here and now." Gibbs was unsure about a lot of things lately.

Tim and Ziva took out their equipment to get started on collecting evidence and photos even though NCIS agents from Norfolk would have this done already. Since it was their home, they were only visiting. However, since they were from the Naval Yard and Hach was involved, they might cooperate. That was the least of his concerns.

He walked away from Tim searching for his first priority. When Gibbs found Hach finally, she appeared awake and angry toward the EMT trying to assess her wounds. It appeared the doctor hated being treated like a patient and sulked as a result. He approached where she was stationed taking his time to assess the doctor.

"I'm not going to the damn hospital and that's final!" Hach said huffily. "I'm a doctor! I know when I need to go! Stop whining and patch me up or I'll do it my damn self!"

Gibbs smirked.

The EMT relented and began doing what he was told. Hach then sat steady on a gurney getting her minor wounds treated on her face, hands, and arms.

By the time Gibbs got to her, both sleeves of her shirt were ripped off and lying next to her. Her upper arms and right forearm were bandaged with gauze wrapped around the entire circumference of the arm. Her clothes, face, and hair were filthy from the debris that settled following the blast. However, she seemed unphased by the state of things concentrating on some inner thought. Her eyes were unfocused.

Gibbs arrived at Hach's side. McGee moved past them and began taking pictures with his camera. Ziva followed and worked alongside Tim to give Gibbs time alone with Hach. He looked to the pleasant faced EMT currently wounding a gauge roll around Hach's middle upper right arm. He was stocky and gentle with kind eyes. The patch on his uniform read 'Rick'.

"How is she?" Gibbs glanced at Hach who refused to look at him.

Rick replied gently. "Shaken but for the most part in good condition. Minor debris here and there. I'm finding she hates being babied."

Gibbs agreed. "Don't blame her." He looked at Hach directly. "You okay?"

Hach was unsure how to feel at the moment. "Other than someone hating my new lab, I'm fine, Agent Gibbs. Nothing a little band-aid won't fix." She shook her head in disgust. "Just my luck."

"Anyone want you dead?" Gibbs made it sound like a question but he meant it as a statement.

Hach tilted her head slightly to the side in silent sarcasm. 'I've got a list."

Gibbs glanced at the blackened lab. "You going to cooperate now?"

Hach frowned slightly. "Yeah, right."

EMT laughed but swallowed it under Gibbs cold stare.

"Why did you call McGee?" Gibbs was concerned.

Hach shrugged slightly agitated at the implication she called 'him'. "I didn't anyone. EMT Rick here called your number but it was busy. So McGee got the call instead. I didn't think Tony or Ziva would be in the office when he asked if there was more than one person available."

"We were all there."

"My mistake." She shook her head again. "This is my day for weird."

Gibbs narrowed his eyes at the comment. "What else happened?"

She huffed. "Some guy attacked me at Bresslin's café. I was eating dinner and this guy comes up and asks me for directions. I told him to where he needed to go and he walks off. Next thing I know, he's running right back at me at full speed with the look of I'm-going-to-kill-you on his face. Luckily two guys from the café tackled him before he got to me." She sighed. "But he got free and ran off."

Gibbs knew she was oblivious to the news currently. "Guy?"

"Caucasian, five-eleven I think, a bit scrawny, dark blue hooded jacket, black slacks, and black shoes. I thought he wanted to rob me but now I'm not so sure."

Gibbs smirked knowing she missed the point of the man's questioning. For a woman with four PhD's she missed important details about people. Gibbs realized her obliviousness had something to do with personal perceptions and that hers were clearly limited. He pulled out a photo from an inside pocket and showed it to Hach.

Hach nodded staring at the photo hard. "That looks like him." She avoided looking at Gibbs on purpose. "Who is he?"

Gibbs began slowly. "The man who tried to attack you is Ryan Nickson. Twenty-five years ago he kidnapped, raped, and killed young women over the course of nine months. Gwendolyn was one of his victims. He escaped just after she was killed." He lowered his voice. "Let me give you some time to let that sink in."

Hach pursed her lips and looked at Gibbs staring at her, his eyes telling her I-told-you-so. Okay, she deserved the crack at the end. He remained silent knowing his point was made.

Hach huffed irritated knowing she missed this obvious and critical point. "I don't want to hear it, Agent Gibbs."

Gibbs leaned forward until his lips were close to her ear and whispered. "As long as you know, I know." Then he pulled away and straightened. "You need protection."

Hach felt uncomfortable with Gibbs being so close and protested immediately at his insistence to needing any type of security detail. "I'll be fine here, Gibbs. My home's re-enforced with four guards and a state-of-the-art security system. Mr. Nickson won't be able to reach me there."

Gibbs was not going to back down this time. "You'll stay at NCIS Naval Yard until we catch Nickson."

Hach shrugged. "Doubtful."

Gibbs gripped her shoulder forcing her to look up at him. "Don't be stupid, Hach."

Hach lost any humor she wanted to see in this brushing his hand off her shoulder. "I've never been called stupid in my life." Seeing Agent Gibbs resolute manner. "Fine, I'll stay with DiNozzo and McGee at a safe house since you're so wound up." She looked at his hands. "Do you need another coffee?"

Gibbs let her go irritated that she was purposely annoying him. She winced that his touch hurt, settling back down so the EMT could finish. He stalked off in search of McGee somewhere in the darkened laboratory. Hach noted Ziva walked out with bags of evidence.

Rick finished patching her up. "Is he always like that?"

Hach shook her head and looked to Rick. "He doesn't have a good side that I'm aware of." Her eyes widened at the revelation. "Agent Gibbs called me, Hach." She frowned. "That's never happened before."

Rick grimaced while he closed up his case. "I'd say he cares about you." He walked away after that, his comment putting Hach in a bad mood.

"Cares my ass." Hach muttered getting off the gurney slowly. "All Agent Gibbs cares about is me being bait for a serial killer." She breathed as pain settled in. "Bastard."

There was nothing else for her to do so she slowly headed for the door. Only when Gibbs showed up to head her off did she glare at him. Gibbs decided it was best she hang out with him until they were ready to leave the scene. She could tell him what was and was not part of the lab if they wanted to find bomb fragments.

**Chapter Twenty**

Hours later, Abby stood with Tim searching over the possible evidence dispersed in shallow polyethylene tubs. She used a magnifying glass to peer at the smallest pieces looking for any trace of the bomb and its ignition.

Tim played on his PDA. "The whole place was blackened like my Uncle Teddy's overcooked turkey. The blast wiped out everything. There wasn't a single surface that wasn't touched. I felt bad since it was going to be officially opened in a couple of days."

Abby shook her head saddened. "She's got to be devastated." Then gulped. "I'd be crying for months if someone blew up my lab."

"Gibbs seemed awfully worried about Hach tonight." Tim wondered about the pair. "Should've seen them together. He got really mad at her until she relented to stay in a safe house with Tony and I. You should've seen him."

Abby brightened uncharacteristically. "She can stay here with me!"

"She would be safer with you." Tim agreed not wanting to play babysitter at a safe house. "Tony said the same thing. Besides, there's too much to do. We'd have to hold off some parts of the investigation to put her in a safe house as well as managing the security detail. You think the D.C. Haunt blew up her new lab?"

Abby shook her head. "Serial killers typically don't change their MO, Tim." Then she paused. "Unless you're Perfecto. Bombs are too impersonal and hands off. Serial killers prefer hands on and the joy of experiencing their work."

He nodded. "Oh yeah, you're latest case."

"Where is Hach now?" Abby tapped the keyboard in front of her.

Tim sighed. "With Gibbs. She tried to leave the scene but he headed her off. Planted her in the car and threatened to call Secretary Jarvis if she didn't listen. First time I ever thought she looked a bit tired. Gibbs said he wanted to go talk to someone after she got cleaned up at her house. He didn't say where he was going only that he won't be back till later today."

Relieved, Abby felt there was plenty of time to find something before Gibbs returned. "That'll give me plenty of time to process the evidence from the lab now that Norfolk just lost theirs." Abby smiled at the idea. "I bet her house is rockin'."

Tim frowned. "And Gibbs is the only one who's going to see it." He brightened. "I bet she's got all the latest tech there too."

Then he saddened, titled his head back, closed his eyes and dropped his shoulders as if he lost out on a free comic book giveaway.

"Awe, damn." He missed his opportunity to check out Hach's digs.

**Chapter Twenty-One**

Gibbs stood in the foyer of the brownstone located just outside Norfolk base. There was a long hall that ended at a set of double doors near the back of the house. To his left was the dining room with deep wood tones and expensive wallpaper. The crystal chandelier above the table was elegant but perfectly sized for the room. The wood finishes were real and stained.

To his right was the receiving parlor furnished as a living room decorated in various tones and textures of color and neutrals. The reminder of the hall had various doors closed sealing off the extra rooms. If he had to guess, there were at least seven bedrooms alone in something this size. He expected a sterile environment that Hach lived in not this deep traditional style she chose. While elegant it spoke that Hach did not live here as much as exist here. In his opinion, it was a house and should be lived in.

He had to admit her security system was state of the art since he failed to understand it. He would never understand why she implemented such measures. However, it was clear Ryan Nickson would have trouble getting through it. She would be safe here but he wanted her at the Naval Yard under his team's care. She would cooperate with him eventually.

Lingering around on the first floor while she ran upstairs to shower and change, Gibbs made a call to DiNozzo requesting personal information on Hach's family and staff. No sense in wasting time waiting around when he could be looking for answers. Next he dialed McGee.

"McGee." He was cut off.

"Boss, where are you?" Tim asked quickly. "Vance is looking for you and he doesn't look happy."

"Ya think? NCIS just lost an entire lab, McGee." Gibbs refrained from mentioning the location. "Get Ziva and interview her staff at her house outside Norfolk."

"On it." Tim was about to hang up.

Gibbs closed his phone and pushed it into the inside pocket of his coat.

Nearly forty minutes later, Hach came down the stairs in a pair of jeans, a clean blue collared shirt, and a long brown sweater that hung down to mid-thigh level and socked feet. Her hair was damp, not wet, and her face freshly washed since several techs perused her head for any signs of bomb fragments for more than an hour. She carried her gym shoes in her hands, clearly having just chosen them.

"Thanks for letting me get changed." Hach stopped to put on her shoes on the second to the bottom stair.

"Not much choice." Gibbs did not mind waiting.

He learned a little more about Dr. Hature while she was away. Gibbs watched her slip both shoes on and tie them one at a time. He found it odd she was less meticulous with her personal habits as with her laboratory. But she was overly paranoid about someone getting into her house.

"Where are we going?" Hach hoped she could occupy herself by running samples while her Norfolk lab was sifted through by NCIS personnel.

"You'll see." Gibbs said nothing more being cryptic on purpose.

Hach missed the smirk on his face.

**Chapter Twenty-Two**

Hach sulked sitting beside Gibbs. Her arms were folded tightly, her body turned towards the passenger door antagonized. She wished she had returned to the DC Naval Yard with Tim McGee instead of being forced to accompany Agent Gibbs on his 'errand'.

Gibbs sensed her mood. "You go home often?"

Hach tightened her folded arms even more. "The less the better."

Gibbs wanted to know more the mysterious Dr. Hature. "Did he know about your sister?"

Hach huffed. "It wasn't like he could forget."

Gibbs replied softly. "That's not what I meant."

Her voice went cold. "Then be more specific when you ask questions."

"You're life's in danger." Gibbs wanted her to know he was on her side. "Pretending otherwise is stupid."

Hach tilted her head to look over at Gibbs. "I do understand my life's in danger. But why do you have to bring my father into this?"

Gibbs slammed on the brakes, Hach holding onto the handle above the window, the vehicle coming to an abrupt stop next to the curb outside a two-story home with excellent curb appeal. A wide front porch decorated with hanging plants and a long wooden bench greeted visitors of the house. The grass was well maintained and the flowers in the beds were well manicured.

Hach got out of the passenger side still miffed and made no attempt to hide the fact. She hated being forced to come here without first preparing herself psychologically. Agent Gibbs took too much for granted where his job was concerned.

Gibbs rolled his eyes and exited the driver's side. Both slammed the vehicle doors closed in unison. He took calculated steps, allowing Hach to approach the house ahead of him. He watched her body language closely. She was tense.

Hach crossed the grass and walked quickly up the front walk. She climbed the stairs onto the porch then turned at the top stair to wait for Agent Gibbs. He smiled before he joined her seconds later.

"I have to warn you." Hach appeared serious. "My father will suspect us of dating since we arrived in one car." Her voice lowered to a whisper. "He's been harping about my working too much and such. Put any ideas out of his mind immediately."

The front door opened to a tall, lanky man who pushed the storm door open cautiously. He walked out onto the porch with white hair, a hardened face, and a mean look to him. He wore jeans with a blue sweatshirt, black gym shoes, and white undershirt.

Her voice was even colder now. "Hello father."

"Who's your friend?" Sam Hature asked intrigued and extended a hand toward Gibbs. They shook firm and quickly. "Strong shake. Sign of a good man."

Hach rolled her eyes to draw the conversation back to topic. "Former Marine Gunny Sergeant, Special Agent Gibbs of NCIS, meet Samuel Hature, former Captain and Navy Seal."

Sam Hature smiled at Gibbs. "Guiny doesn't usually bring military men home."

Hach sighed deeply. "He's working a case. Now stop thinking what you're thinking and answer his questions. I won't be staying long this time around."

Hach opened the screen door and disappeared into the front door leaving the two men alone.

Gibbs smiled when the door shut with a slam. Dr. Hature might be have four PhD's but she behaved like any other woman he knew when she was angry. He found she was more likeable away from the lab.

**Chapter Twenty-Three**

Sam Hature watched Special Agent Gibbs staring at the front door with interest. Not a man to mince his words, he decided to keep silent. It was not often Guinevere interacted with men like this Gibbs, even while working in her labs. Part of him was curious yet he also knew how his daughter would respond if he asked about this agent. Then again, she never brought anyone home to meet him.

Sam smiled. "She's always been a mystery to me."

"You aren't the only one." Gibbs shook his head and agreed.

"What brings you out here, Special Agent Gibbs?" Sam knew it was time to get down to business. "You got some ID?"

Gibbs hesitated understanding why he was doing this. He took his credentials from his inside pocket. He took the time to flash them for Sam Hature thinking he was a thorough man but he read there was more going on in those eyes watching him back. There were reasons why Hature rose through the ranks so fast and that those reasons involved his daughter.

He folded his arm to put his ID away. "Wouldn't have it any other way."

"Jethro, eh?" Sam waited until Gibbs nodded. "I must say I like you." But he was not stupid. "Is my daughter in trouble?"

"Both of them." Gibbs watched for his response.

Sam Hature's expression turned cold but there was also a flicker of pain and suffering. Gibbs gave him a moment to collect himself. The subject seemed to be difficult on the older man.

"Gwendolyn's involved?" Sam asked finally.

Who was Gibbs to lie? "She's dead, Mr. Hature."

Sam lowered his head tightening his jaw. "Suicide?"

Gibbs held nothing back. "Murder."

Sam wanted answers. "How?"

"Someone tried to make it look like suicide." He kept his voice low.

"Smart man are you, Jethro Gibbs?" Sam knew what this meant.

Jethro Gibbs was looking after the only daughter he had left in the world.

Gibbs shook his head. "Just looking for answers."

Sam Hature sighed deeply then spoke softly. "Guess it wasn't fair keeping them apart. Guiny used to ask about her mother all the time since the divorce. I usually avoided the question one-way or the other. Eventually she stopped asking. I never mentioned Gwendolyn. It was too hard for a little girl to not know her mother and sister. Seemed a good idea at the time to say nothing. I intended to tell her one day."

Gibbs shrugged. "She knows now."

Sam kept his expression blank. "Guiny saw the reports all those years ago. Hardest thing to suffer through watching your child be dragged through media hell just because it's news. I wasn't even allowed to speak to or see Gwen."

"You tried?" Gibbs noted Hach was watching them from the front window.

"Yes, after the media coverage died down." Sam folded his arms. "My ex refused to even think about meeting either of us. Her mother hated me when we divorced, hated me deep. Hated the military life. Wanted nothing to do with either Guiny or myself again after it was finalized. I thought time would soften her resolve." He paused. "I was wrong."

"Did Hach ever look for Gwendolyn Stillman?" Gibbs wanted to know.

"She still prefers Hach over Guiny." Sam shook his head. "Can't say I blame her. A bit childish but she'll always be my little girl." He paused. "Yes, Guiny looked for Gwen. But Gwen was always one step ahead of her. When Gwen joined the Navy to escape her mother, Guiny lost her trail. Guiny became a forensic scientist more than a year later to look from the inside but it was too late. Later she went for agent when she wasn't able to find Gwen from her lab position. Gwen was out of the Navy by then and left no forwarding address. Like she fell off the face of the Earth."

He understood that but not the method for disappearing. "She stayed in the psyche ward at Bethesda."

Sam was surprised and looked at Gibbs in disbelief. "No one stays in a psyche ward willingly."

"Dr. Zackey from Bethesda Medical Center called me last night with a list of visitors over the last ten years for Petty Officer Gwendolyn Benack." Gibbs knew the former rear admiral would understand where he was going.

"I found out through a friend she was there." Sam stood up and turned towards Gibbs away from his daughter's stare through the front window. "He recognized her from the media coverage and knew I was looking for her. So, I went to see her. She was severely messed up back then. Gwen was attacked by her CO. Wanted to kill the bastard myself."

"Don't blame you." Gibbs solemnly agreed.

"Gwen refused to see me when I went to visit her." There was hurt in his eyes. "Gwen wanted nothing to do with Guiny."

"She escaped from the ward the night she died." Gibbs wanted answers soon.

"Had nothing to do with me. She never called or wrote to me." He paused to think. "Now that I think about it, I did get a call Wednesday night. It threw me since I normally don't get calls that late from people who know me."

"Gwendolyn?" Gibbs leaned forward.

Sam shrugged. "No one said anything so I hung up." He felt torn over his actions now and lowered her head. "You think she tried to call for help?"

"I don't know what to think right now." Gibbs sighed and stood up. "Thank you for your time." He handed Sam Hature his business card. "You think of anything else, call."

Sam nodded once. "Come back anytime."

Hach opened the front door and exited the house. She only paused to look at her father before setting her eyes on Gibbs. "All done?"

Gibbs glanced at her eating a piece of white cheese. He smiled thinking she was more like her father than she admitted. It was a shame there was bad blood between them. How far did it go? And did Gwendolyn get caught up in it or was she the reason for it?

Sam Hature looked at his daughter. "You should visit more often."

Hach was not convinced of his sincerity. "It's tough when I'm busy. See you at Christmas. Jay will be on vacation then." She walked down the stairs then down the front path.

Sam placed a hand on Gibbs shoulder. "Why are you digging, Jethro?"

Gibbs looked to Sam Hature. "Someone planted a bomb in her lab last night." He noted the shocked look on Sam's face. "Hach missed dying by ten seconds."

Sam shrugged. "She's a forensic scientist. Who'd want to kill her?"

Gibbs glanced at Hach then back at her father. "I'm going to find that out."

Sam walked with Gibbs to the top of the stairs. "Keep her close. She's in her head most of the time. Her and all her PhD's…think she knows everything. Some people think that's enough but we both know that she needs a grounded man to keep her right. Watch her for me, Jethro. I'm too old to do it myself."

"I'll do my best." Gibbs was sincere.

Gibbs glanced at Hach waiting by the car. Her face was blank. She was an expert on hiding her emotions. But then he suspected she learned that from her father growing up. There was much to her mind he did not understand.

"It has to be your best, Special Agent L. Jethro Gibbs." Sam Hature noted Gibbs staring at his daughter as if he was trying to figure her out. "She's all I got left now."

Gibbs smiled and descended the stairs.

**Chapter Twenty-Four**

The next stop proved to hit close to home with Hach. On the drive to Connecticut, Hach outlined all the reasons this particular part of the investigation could be done without her in attendance. She even offered to wait at a gas station or pub until he completed the questioning.

Gibbs needed to close all the gaps and keeping Hach on an uneven keel made him feel better. As they got closer to their destination, Hach became more convinced that this was a bad idea. In fact, her rhetoric sounded more like panic to him.

"Are you mad?" Hach tried to reason with Agent Gibbs on their way here. "This woman made it all too clear she never wanted to see me or my father ever again."

Gibbs said nothing pulling to the curb. "Let's go."

He opened his door and glanced at Hach before getting out. Going around to the passenger side, he opened the door for her. Hach sat there with her arms folded. She pretended he was not there. Gibbs bent forward and took her arm.

Hach went with Agent Gibbs only to satisfy his curiosity, his hand now securely latched onto her wrist. Why she had to accompany him was beyond her comprehension. Pouting as she walked with him towards the unassuming house in the middle of the block, Hach noted the middle class suburb was far too quiet.

They walked up the stairs to the small front stoop and Agent Gibbs rang the doorbell. She stood on the steps below Agent Gibbs to avoid being seen right away. If the woman reacted violently, she wanted to be gone quickly. But Agent Gibbs refused to release her wrist.

Moments later the front door creaked open. An elderly looking woman peered out at Gibbs, a slight frown on her face. She was dressed in flowered pajamas and once-white slippers. Her hair was messed as if she just woke.

"Deborah Stillman?" Gibbs flashed his ID.

She read the ID quickly enough and nodded she understood who he was.

"What does NCIS want with me?" She asked hoarsely.

"I'm here about Gwendolyn Stillman." Gibbs remained latched onto Hach in case she got the idea to run.

The door opened and the woman motioned for him to enter. She turned from the door to walk into the Living Room. She did not notice Hach coming in behind Agent Gibbs. He dropped Hach's arm once they were inside the house. Reaching the comfort of her sitting chair, she turned to sit down and froze upon spotting Hach.

"What is she doing here?" The viciousness in her voice made Gibbs stop.

"Hello, mother." Hach leaned over and whispered to Gibbs. "I told you this was a bad idea."

Gibbs said unphased. "Dr. Hature's with me to find out who killed Gwendolyn."

The mother's face softened as she collapsed into her sitting chair, a hand over her heart. "My Gwen's dead?"

"NCIS is investigating Gwen's death." Gibbs offered.

Mrs. Stillman looked directly at Hach. "It's all your fault!" Her voice quivered with accusation, a quivering finger pointed in her direction. "I know it! You and that father or yours!"

Hach folded her arms and refused to let the woman rouse her anger. Deborah Stillman's white hair still had remnants of the red her children inherited when Gwen and Hach were born. Part of her wanted to leave and never return seeing the seething hatred burning in her eyes. The woman made it clear she wanted nothing to do with the Hature's before.

"Dr. Hature was accounted for at the time of the murder."

The mother focused on Agent Gibbs and found him handsome. Her face went serious and showed some form of emotion for the loss of Gwendolyn. "How did…they find her?"

"Hung from a tree." Gibbs noted the callousness of Mrs. Stillman towards Hach but there was also some reserved for Gwendolyn. "Someone tried to make it appear like suicide."

"My Gwen would never commit suicide!"

"We know that." Gibbs realized he would not get much from Mrs. Stillman. "What we need to find out if there were any angry boyfriends. Anyone who wanted her dead."

"Her CO bastard tried to rape her." Mrs. Stillman rocked back and forth. "Gave it to him good but he messed up her face for it. Did they…"

Gibbs shook his head. "No, they didn't."

Mrs. Stillman sighed and leaned back. She choked in a sob and began crying seemingly unheeded. She mumbled about 'evil' finding Gwen and that it was coming for them next. She appeared to have withdrawn from the real world and began rocking back and forth. Gibbs glanced over to Hach who made a circle with her right index finger next to her right ear.

Gibbs relented and the interview was over.

Minutes later, Hach stood with Gibbs out on the street unsure how she felt about the whole experience. As they exited, Mrs. Stillman ranted about how her ex-husband's affairs did this to her good daughter, Gwendolyn. How the evil daughter, Dr. Hature was a creature of the devil with her conniving mind and black heart.

"I warned you." Hach noted Gibbs expression.

"Is that why your father divorced her?" He had to agree with Hach.

"One of many." Hach shrugged. "She got sucked into this cult passing through town when Gwen and I were five. Messed up her mind, started seeing trolls in the basement and swore the fairies were wreaking havoc on the water pipes. Had the whole place exterminated to keep the evil out of the house." She sighed deeply. "She thought my intellect was the devils work. Swore she'd stamp it out of me and tried she did. The one thing my father did right was getting me out of there. Gwendolyn wasn't so lucky."

Gibbs noted a black car sitting parked down the street. He kept his eyes trained on the driver's side, finding the shape similar to the fugitive Ryan Nickson. The car did not look like a FBI undercover vehicle. Hach caught on to what Gibbs was looking at down the street.

"Gibbs?" Hach asked.

Gibbs began walking towards the vehicle. The engine roared to life and the driver shifted into 'drive'. He peeled away from the curb aiming for Gibbs now in the middle of the street. Gibbs pulled his SIG and held it out in front of him. The driver lowered his head as the car barreled towards them.

Hach moved towards Gibbs but stopped when the car aimed at the NCIS agent. He fired three shots at the driver before he jumped out of the way. The car swerved four times before the car was brought under controlled and raced down the street. She ran over to Gibbs getting to his feet.

"You okay?" Hach queried.

"You care now?" Gibbs looked at her.

Hach sighed. "Fine then. By the way, your right knee is bruised." She stalked off towards the Dodge Charger so they could return to the Naval Yard.

Gibbs paused realizing she paid attention to his actions that he had not. He felt the pain with the first step. He winced as he kept walking hoping to walk it off by the time he reached the car. Holstering his SIG, Gibbs knew his knee hurt worse than normal.

"Dammit." He breathed.

TO BE CONTINUED…

IN THE SECOND INSTALLMENT OF

**PARADOX**

_NEXT TIME on NCIS…_

_Gibbs and his team have their hands full with the investigation uncovering evidence that leads to The Reaper and Perfecto. _


	28. Episode 10: Paradox Part 4

**NCIS Season 9**

**Episode 9.10.1**

**Paradox**

**By: Lady JenDragon**

**Disclaimer: **We know the drill but I do declare my own characters as mine.

**Author's Notes: **Enjoy.

* * *

**PARADOX**

**Part Four**

**Chapter Twenty-Five**

McGee and Tony watched from Tony's desk as Gibbs exited the elevator with Hach following him out. They both knew Gibbs forced a visit to Hach's father then ventured out to inform her mother of the death of Gwendolyn Stillman. And Hach was brought along for the experience.

"Guess the family reunion didn't go well." Tim said almost in a whisper.

"Is it me or does the little doc look very unhappy…" Tony wanted confirmation. "…and Gibbs look…" He had to pause questioning himself. "Does that even count as happy?"

Hach did not appear to be in a good mood as she strode towards the laboratory with her back a bit straighter than normal. She got like that whenever she was severely irritated according to Abby who knew more about the little doc than anyone else. The boss appeared rather 'mello' as he strolled towards the pair. Here they thought Hach would drive Gibbs crazy spending that much time alone together. And it was the little doc that appeared worse for wear from the experience.

"That isn't a usual Gibbs expression." McGee smiled understanding Tony's point. "Course, Hach never drove with Gibbs before."

Tony nodded. " That would do it." He paused at the recent phone call. "Then again, I half expected him to be in a bad mood since Nickson tried to run him over."

Gibbs noted the quizzical expressions on his agents as he approached. "DiNozzo?"

Tony winced. "Yeah, boss?"

"You got something or were you slacking off all day again?" Gibbs smirked at the indignation.

Tony lost his humorous mood. "No one saw anyone suspicious in or around the lab yesterday. There were a number of construction guys coming and going from the lab during set up over the past six weeks, boss. Anyone could've slipped in and planted the bomb. Ziva's finishing the last of the worker interviews now."

Gibbs turned to the other member of his team present. "McGee?"

McGee checked his PDA. "Hach's house staff hasn't transferred from Hawaii yet since she hasn't taken up residence at the house outside Norfolk officially. Ziva and I couldn't interview them personally. Trey Walker and his wife, Susan, were interview by NCIS agents in Pearl and both appear overly devoted to Hach. They don't have any children. Trey, a private first class, served two tours before he was injured in a car bomb at a checkpoint outside the Green Zone in Iraq. His leg was severely mangled and Dr. Hature is responsible for getting him the prosthetics and rehabilitation he currently receives. He's been her head of staff for five years now. The Walker's mentioned they didn't know anyone who wanted Hach dead or who could blow up her lab."

At that moment, Ziva arrived back in the office from the direction of the lab after checking on a lead that would probably take them nowhere. "I checked the phone records from the Bethesda psyche ward. Nothing from the ward was dialed directly to Mr. Hature house. However, there was a call placed to his house from the payphone just outside the hospital that corresponds to the timeline. It lasted only for a few seconds before whoever hung up. Nothing long enough for a conversation or a trace. There were also five other calls made from the same phone to an unregistered number. She called it five times in a row with only a second to hang up and redial. Each one lasted a few seconds since the receiver did not pick up."

"Desperate." Gibbs commented.

Ziva added. "I dusted the phone for prints, they're with Abby now."

Tony contributed. "Abby found a note in the victim's shirt pocket earlier today."

Gibbs gave DiNozzo a steeled glare. "And?"

"Only three words: I found you." Tony grimaced with a slight shiver. "Wow, that's kinda creepy." He went serious then. "May have been why she decided to make a run from the ward."

Gibbs pressed. "Nickson?"

"Doubt it." McGee shook his head. "The bus overturned almost an hour after Ducky's estimation. The note would've had to have been given to Stillman before he escaped."

"You know that for sure, McGee?" Gibbs asked testing the junior agent.

McGee suddenly felt self-conscious about his statement but realized Gibbs' intent. "Uh, no, it's just a theory. Nickson could've found out she was at Bethesda and got someone to pass the note to her. Abby's running the note for any prints so we'll know if someone actually delivered it. There was nothing from what we collected from Bethesda to indicate that it arrived by mail via envelope. Abby's running it for verification." Tim paused to take a breath. "According to prison records, Nickson didn't have any visitors in the last few months preceding the escape. If he sent a note, it was a long time ago."

Gibbs thought about it then shrugged.

McGee's voice lowered. "I ran the plates of the car that almost ran you over at Hach's mother's house. The car was reported stolen last night from the Westfield, Virginia area."

Ziva sifted through the information and it clicked. "You think Nickson might be preparing to set up shop again?"

Tim appeared dumbfounded he, himself, did not catch on faster. "That's where Nickson lived before the FBI discovered his identity." He berated himself as he got back to work on finding out more about the car.

"Hard to say." Gibbs did not want his team chasing a false lead.

Tony jumped in to add. "Doubt it. It's too early and he's on the run." He paused knowing Gibbs would challenge him. "There's too many unknowns right now for him. Serial killers like to be one with their environment. He'll set up once he's secured a location since every law enforcement agency's looking for him."

Gibbs nodded and paused then looked up towards MTAC.

Director Vance stood in a dark gray suit with white shirt and black shoes at the railing eyeing him. He was a patient man waiting for Gibbs to notice him observing the team at work. Their conversation could be easily overheard from where he stood. Gibbs nodded slightly knowing Vance wanted to talk.

**Chapter Twenty-Six**

Vance stood at the window when Gibbs opened the door to let himself into the Director's office. His hands were pushed into his trouser pockets as he contemplated the next step. Gibbs closed the door silently before walking over to the desk to report in.

He turned from the window. "How's Hach taking it?"

"The explosion or the family reunion?" Gibbs found a little more respect for the woman.

"Both." Vance knew nothing of her family as he sat down.

"She's taken the explosion in stride but the family visits riled her up." Gibbs noted the small glimmer in Vance's eyes. "It appears she doesn't go home often."

Vance took a deep breath. "Can't say I blame her." He opened his desk draw and withdrew a file. "I checked up on Sam Hature when I found out her twin sister was our guest. He's got a clean record. A bit too clean in my opinion. Making the grade as a Seal was probably easy for him. Used his daughter like a bartering chip to rise quickly through the ranks once he made Seal."

Gibbs knew the type well enough. "She stopped that quickly enough."

Vance dropped the file towards the edge of his desk. "I would've too if I were in her shoes. Her father was profiting from his daughters brilliance. What about the mother?"

Gibbs found himself at a loss for their encounter. "Out there."

"Not surprised. She was a test subject for a lot of pharmaceuticals back then." Vance only had a simple version of the story. "Kept her busy while her husband was away on missions and training ops. Eventually they took their toll."

"A bit more than a toll, Leon." Gibbs was still disturbed by his visit to Deborah Stillman.

"So I've heard." Vance eyed Gibbs. "I want Hach with your team twenty-four-seven here at the Yard. If Nickson's trying to get to her then he's going to find it very difficult to get his hands on her here at NCIS."

"You think Nickson's going to try something here?"

"Doubt it." Vance lifted his chin. "I'm not entirely sure Nickson's our main problem." He paused noting the glint in Gibbs' eye that he, too, suspected another of planting the bomb at the lab. "Whoever took the time and trouble to blow up a Naval forensics lab is far more dangerous than the DC Haunt Killer at the moment. But Nickson will remain a high priority for your team." Vance knew the feds would be more than willing to claim the glory for catching Nickson ahead of NCIS. "He's ours but the Feds want in on the action."

"No doubt." Gibbs connected the dots. "You think The Reaper could've rigged the explosives to take out the lab?"

Vance sighed. "Wouldn't put it past him." Shaking his head, Leon hated to admit they were up against something new. "The Reaper seems to enjoy making a mockery out of NCIS. I want him stopped."

He nodded only once. "Yes sir."

Gibbs knew he had to make sure Dr. Hature remained at NCIS for the time being. And judging from their return trip in total silence, that would be no easy task.

**Chapter Twenty-Seven**

Hours passed as day slipped into night. The members of the MCRT were scurrying trying to located the one person they were assigned to protect. Somehow, she managed to slip around notice and disappear. Abby was given strict instructions to keep her out of the lab. Tony dismissed the three rookie agents assigned to Hach, their heads a little lower since receiving the deep cold disapproving glare of Gibbs.

Tony turned to Tim. "Just what we need." He threw his hands up. "We should've just Lojacked her when they got back from visiting Ma and Pa Hach."

Tim smirked. "You really think we would've gotten her to wear an ankle bracelet?"

He shook his head. "No." Tony pushed his hands in his pockets. "We would've sent Abby to do that part."

Tim followed Tony towards the stairway.

"Let's start in the basement, Timmy." He hated rabbit hunting.

Tim rolled his eyes. "Let me see if I can track her using the surveillence camera's first."

That made Tony stop and turn to face him. "Good idea." He pointed towards the office. "To the Gibbs cave, Robin!"

The next ten minutes were used to try locating Dr. Hature using the cameras located throughout the building since she returned from her field trip with Gibbs. Since Abby returned from her recent absence chasing Perfecto, the forensic lab was currently off limits to Hach. This left the 'little doc' with plenty of time to go somewhere. And now she was nowhere anyone could find her. Gibbs wanted her located ASAP and went off to find her the old fashioned way.

Tim looked up from his computer. "Found her!" He transferred the feed to the plasma screen between Tony and his desks. He picked up the phone and called Gibbs where to find her. "Agent's training room." Tim set the phone back down.

Hach sat against the wall half way down from the double doors leading into the training room. Most of the lights were off making the picture appear darker than it truly was in there. Still, Hach appeared comfortable where she sat.

"She's just sitting there." Ziva commented pulling her chair over to sit next to Tony.

Tony and McGee rearranged their chairs in order to watch the screen of the floor mat in the agent's training room where Hach sat off to the side against the wall. Her hands were pressed together, her eyes focused on them in deep thought over the day's activities.

The door to the agent's training room was not covered by the camera angle. But none of the agents watching the room cared at the moment. Only when Gibbs appeared in the threshold did they perk up.

"Gibbs has Hach sense." Tony smiled and chuckled.

Tim rolled his eyes, knowing Tony forgot he just told Gibbs where Hach was located by phone.

"You think he's going to give her an ultimatum?" Ziva wondered why Gibbs went looking for Hach just by walking through the building without any knowledge of her last known whereabouts. "She's been more social lately."

"She's playing us all." Tony replied unconvinced by the Little Doc, waving at the others to quiet down. "Oooh, mommy and daddy are talking now." He paused before continuing since the other two remained silent. "I bet he's going to try sparring with her." Tony smirked. "Show her Nickson's got the upper hand."

"Of course he does." Ziva agreed. "She's a scientist."

"I wouldn't count her out just yet." Tim felt confident that Hach had a few tricks up her sleeve.

**Chapter Twenty-Eight**

Hach sat against the wall wearing an old gray t-shirt two sizes too large and gray sweat pants with white socks and white gym shoes. Pressing her fingers together, her mind was a chasm of chaotic thoughts regarding recent events. Her sister's death, finding Ryan Nickson was the man who attacked her at Bresslin's Café, and probably was the man who tried to run Agent Gibbs over outside her mother's residence. Her hair was pulled into a loose bun at the base of her head.

The thought to come here came out of the blue. There was no rhyme or reason for it. Perhaps it was the point to just come and think without a lot of people hanging around.

Director Vance was being overly protective suddenly. That bothered her. NCIS people paid her way too attention these days. She was used to her anonymity all these years. She did not care much for working out. Her mild concussion throbbed lightly but she found that the empty agent's training room offered some solace and silence. It was more pleasing for her head to sit and stare out at the room from against the wall.

Agent Gibbs entered the room through the one door propped open by a wooden wedge. The usual coffee was in hand, she noted. He paused just inside the door as he swept the room from right to left, locating her sitting against the wall. He turned slightly and headed towards her.

Her voice sounded irritated. "What do you want now, Agent Gibbs?"

Maybe he did it on purpose since it was so clear it annoyed her when he was around. Her little world did not include agents poking into her personal life. Not that anyone knew what she considered her personal life to be.

Gibbs walked over to her. "You disappeared without telling anyone where you went."

"As long as I didn't leave the building, I figured you wouldn't have a conniption fit." Hach looked out across the room at the shadows. "Was I wrong?"

The floor mat used for sparring and other exercises was remarkably calming. To focus on Agent Gibbs would only propel him further into discussing the finer points of serial killers and motives. She wanted to discuss neither at the moment but decided what she wanted was moot now that he was here.

"Tell someone where you are." Gibbs squatted by her feet and tapped her foot. "It'll save my people time trying to find you. Abby was worried we lost track of you."

Neither noticed Ducky standing in the shadows just outside the door. He took a step forward to enter the room but seemingly paused to consider the action. His eyes were on the couple in the room. He thought better of disturbing the moment and stepped back into the shadows watching.

"Part of her charm." Hach smirked at the idea of Abby Sciuto freaking out and pacing in her lab while NCIS agents searched the building for her. "I'll be more considerate of Abby from now on."

He nodded in agreement. "Working out?" Gibbs glanced over his shoulder.

Hach shrugged. "With a mild concussion?"

"That's not going to stop Nickson." He commented lowly.

Hach frowned at the innuendo. "You believe I am incapable of understanding Nickson's intentions, Agent Gibbs?"

His voice lowered. "There's a lot you don't seem to get, doc."

Insulted, Hach replied. "Allow me to burst your bubble. I have taken a number of self-defense classes in preparation for such an encounter."

Gibbs nodded towards the mat. "Come on."

Hach paused when she glanced over at the sparring mat. "Must I remind you of the concussion again?"

Gibbs smirked. "Afraid, Dr. Hature?"

Hach took a deep breath to let the minor insult pass then got to her feet. "No, to risk further injury to a mild concussion is just plain stupid."

"And if Nickson finds a way to abduct you tonight?" Gibbs took a drink from his coffee. "It's only going to work in his favor."

"I didn't question your motive, Agent Gibbs." Hach folded her arms. "Only your desire to prove a point of which I'm already aware."

Gibbs considered her over the rim of his coffee taking a long drink. "Nickson will exploit your weaknesses."

"Indeed he would." Hach agreed. "However, this doesn't change here and now. I have no desire to train with you, Agent Gibbs. Good night." She turned and began walking towards the door along the wall away from him.

He needed to know. "Have we met before?"

Hach paused then turned to face him again. "Not that I'm aware of."

Ten steps from the door, she counted. To be alone with an agent of NCIS brought back far too many memories long thought buried. Hach winced at the idea that Director Vance may be privy to the circumstances of her status and how she came about to have her position in NCIS. Was Gibbs told to watch her closely for Vance?

He crossed the floor towards Hach. "Then what is it about me you can't stand?"

Hach lifted her chin. "I don't know what you are talking about."

Perhaps it was an erroneous choice to display her dislike for him without first rationalizing her thoughts. After all, she realized now working with him these past few weeks, Agent Gibbs could not be held accountable for the actions of another despite his choice in associations.

It was a partial lie but Gibbs needed to start somewhere. "You have no respect for me."

"I respect you enough as an agent of NCIS." Hach took a step back when Gibbs took a step towards her. "I've given you everything you require: early reports and the lab analysis has always come in ahead of schedule. I've kept nothing from you."

Gibbs nodded. "Where the case is concerned."

"As long as my part of the case is completed and you get what you need to catch the guilty, why does this matter? I testify in court on behalf of NCIS on one out of four cases. To question how the job gets done is my job. To question how I feel about getting the job done is not yours."

He wanted to avoid using it but Gibbs needed ammunition. "Do you feel anything, Ice Maiden?"

That made her smirk. "You remembered. So, since I choose not to display my emotions in public, I'm not considered human?"

"You're too perfect." And he knew she hid behind her perfection on purpose.

"There's nothing wrong with being perfect at one's job." Hach shrugged. "That's hardly a reason to question my forensics."

"I'm not questioning your forensics." Gibbs heard the danger in his own voice. "I question you."

He tossed his empty coffee cup against the wall.

Hach realized Agent Gibbs was standing far too close. "If my procedures and presence bothers you so much, perhaps you should request someone else to take my place while Miss Sciuto is gone on Perfecto?"

"Director Vance brought you here for a reason." And he wanted to know why.

"Yes." Hach smiled slightly as she walked back to him and stood toe-to-toe with him to prove her point. "I'm more useful to you than you are to me."

Hach blinked and she was on the blue floor mat on her back, Gibbs kneeling beside her, his hand pressed on her abdomen and the other on her left arm. Blinking, she did not feel any pain but her head throbbed a bit harder. Her bun let loose during his demonstration and her hair spread out over the blue mat beneath her. Gibbs got back on his feet watching her. Her eyes narrowed at the glimmer of enjoyment in his.

"I see I struck a nerve." Hach got to her feet cautiously. "You're much quicker despite your…" She chose her words specifically. "…older age."

Gibbs winced at the words 'older age'. He appeared annoyed and made the intention of walking past her towards the door but leaned forward circling his arm around her waist. Hach blinked when he dragged her across the floor towards the center of the floor mat.

"Wha…!" Hach glanced around, her feet kicking to find some kind of balance. "What are you doing? I can't fight you in this state!"

"Nickson won't care." And neither did he.

"I assure you, I'm quite capable of..." Hach found her feet and instantly she took hold of Gibbs wrist and flipped him onto the floor on his back. "I told you, I'm not without skill." She straightened and walked back towards the door her head throbbing worse now.

Gibbs reached out and gripped her ankle, yanking hard. Hach fell forward, falling onto her hands. She leaned on one knee and yanked her ankle free then kicked Gibbs in the chest. He barely moved since she applied little effort. In one fluid movement, Hach found herself dragged backwards and rolled over onto her back as his knee pressed down lightly on her abdomen.

He noted the wince of ache from the mild concussion she felt. "Get it yet?"

"I'm physically weaker." Hach pushed him backwards and got onto her feet. "Yeah, I get it!"

Gibbs stood up easily, finding his balance. Hach had some skill but she chose not to engage it against him. She was holding out on him due to the mild concussion though he suspected she had more than a few self-defense training classes in her life. He stayed between her and the door just to see her reaction.

"Get out of my way!" Hach understood why Agent Gibbs was baiting her.

Rouse her fears so she would fight back, Hach reasoned. For once, she wanted someone to ignore that she existed. Lately, she appeared to be on everyone's list of important people. It was unnerving to find herself under the microscope at NCIS. Did her transfer to Norfolk spark this unwanted attention?

He liked this game. "No."

"Why do this, Agent Gibbs?" Hach lost her amusement, placing her hands on her hips.

Gibbs had no reply.

"What are you really after?" Hach paused finding Gibbs silent again just staring at her. "Did Director Vance ask you to study me? Find out my secrets?"

Gibbs straightened surprised he had not considered this before since Leon Vance knew him well enough to assign a mysterious staff member to his team in order to figure them out. The Director did it before when they were trying to locate the mole that turned out to be Agent Lee.

He replied truthfully. "Vance hasn't said a word."

Hach hated being cornered like this in her physical state. "You're reputation tells me you know how to read between the lines." This was a card she was waiting to use. "Mike Franks gave you Dekker's insurance policy before he died." That got a minute response out of him. "I know Vance wants it. Does the Director know you have it?"

Gibbs said nothing wondering what Mike Franks told her.

"This isn't about Nickson at all." Hach realized. "You're gauging me."

Gibbs nodded then shrugged slightly.

She passed him contented that this was over though part of her wondered why Agent Gibbs allowed her to think she won this round. He was not the heartless, rule-breaking agent she was led to believe. His file was more than descriptive about his achievements but the four files she read said nothing of his propensity for humanity. Reaching the threshold, she suddenly found herself twisted around and plastered to the wall beside the door.

She looked down at Gibbs staring up at her since he was currently holding her off the floor. "What is it now, Agent Gibbs?" Hach squirmed at his sudden proximity since his face was much too close to hers for her comfort.

Gibbs felt words were meaningless at her widened eyes. He lingered for a moment then moved his face closer to hers with a lingering smirk on his lips knowing he was about to prove a point. Hach twisted trying to push against him. There was a flicker of fear before anger took control. He refused to let up just because she had a mild concussion.

"Leave me alone!" Hach breathed trying to separate herself from Gibbs.

Frustrated, she pressed hard against his chest only her hands slipped. Her nail caught the lapel of his jacket as she slipped towards the floor. It shocked them both when their lips met as a result. Her eyes widened when Gibbs decided to take advantage of the moment as her feet found the floor again.

Immediately, Hach attempted to push Gibbs away only to find his weight kept her between him and the wall. His large hands gripped her wrists, pulling her arms behind her back. She bent her legs in an attempt to end this interlude but Agent Gibbs took it one step further, following her to the floor.

She breathed and spoke the words in her head, 'Not fair.'

With a final twist, she found herself locked. Finally, Hach gave in just to get it over with since she was now beneath Gibbs who had the clear weight advantage. She realized her mistake as her brain automatically shut down.

Images flashed in her mind of a rainy night, a parked car, and two lovers embraced in the dark. Their passion was hot and their love was new. She raised the gun towards the window but found it would not shoot. Her hands quivered in the chilled air as she turned and ran away. Echoes of crying followed when she realized Gibbs let her go. Hach had to shake her head to reboot her logic and to hide her memories. Immediately she rolled away from Gibbs, ashamed of what transpired.

"Unacceptable!" Hach found her legs like jelly as she stood up.

She clasped her hot throbbing head between her hands. Hach was kissed before but not like this aware Agent Gibbs watched her from the floor amused. She cursed him silently and consciously avoided looking in his direction. This could never happen again. Nor would she allow this to ever happen again. Panicked, Hach moved towards the threshold using the wall for support. She left the room clearly shaken from the experience.

Gibbs smiled at the accidental embrace. "Apparently, she's not all ice."

After Hach left the room Gibbs smiled again then laughed at her response.

**Chapter Twenty-Nine**

The couple was off screen at the moment. Gibbs attempted to engage Hach in a sparring match but she appeared uninterested in confronting the senior agent. Then again, Gibbs clearly intended to make a point. However, that point was being made off screen much to their chagrin.

Tony jumped out of his chair standing to the side of the plasma. "Did you see that?"

"A little too close for comfort, I'd say." Ziva smiled slyly at Tony.

Tony already suspected the Little Doc of having personal space issues. "Hach doesn't like close encounters of the Gibbs kind."

"And Gibbs picked up on it." Tim was mesmerized. "You can tell she's had self-defense training."

Someone's hand came back into view catching the three agents attention. Tony swung around and stared at the screen three-inches from the plasma. He glared silently hoping for the two to roll back into view. Ziva and Tim were laughing at his reaction to missing the last part of the face-off.

"Clearly Gibbs knew where the camera was." Ziva informed an undaunted Tony.

"We can't see anything except for some hair." He was frustrated not being able to see the remainder of the face-off then turned to the other two. "Hach's! It must've come out of the bun that came loose. Obi-Gibbs-Kenobi used his power of the glare to render some sense into our Little Doc. I bet he took her down a few notches." Tony felt jaded biting his fisted hand. "And we missed it!"

Tim and Ziva laughed at Tony's commentary and watched as Gibbs clearly get to his feet amused in the agent's training room.

"Oh yeah!" Tony felt vindicated raising his arms in a field goal.

Tim laughed again and nodded towards the screen. "Gibbs looks way too happy to be on the losing end."

Ziva snickered as she got up and moved her chair back towards her desk. Gibbs moved faster than most people of her age and the agent's training room was only a few floors away. Gibbs' arrival could be imminent. She did not want to get caught watching TV when they were hunting Ryan Nickson in addition to 'The Reaper'.

Tony winced as he silently cursed technology for letting him down this time as Tim ended the connection to the agent's training room.

Since Gibbs left the agent's training room, they only had a few moments to recover and get the Gibbs' Den in the Squad Room back in order before he returned to his desk. Tim moved his chair back behind his desk and sat down looking for anything new on Nickson or The Reaper. He updated both BOLO's. Tony placed his own chair behind his desk and begrudgingly sat down pretending to get back to work.

Seconds later, Gibbs strode through the office from the direction of the lab, heading directly towards his desk. He paused at his chair, his hand on the back glancing around to each of his agent's who chose not to openly acknowledge his arrival. They were seemingly focused on their computers. He smirked then pulled out his chair and sat down at his desk. Then he realized he was out of coffee.

Tony's mood remained gloomy.

**Chapter Thirty**

Hach found the Forensics lab dark and empty. She avoided turning on the light, a whimper escaping her trembling lips. She paced back and forth in the dim light Abby typically left on. Her quivering hands covered her mouth as if they burned.

"Bastard!" Hach was enraged at Agent Gibbs. "As if I would stoop so low!"

Hach took a deep breath replaying the scene in her head.

"All right." She breathed. "It's not really his fault. It was just accidental." She paused to think about it. "But Gibbs intentionally invaded my personal space that led to the accident in the first place." She sighed slightly annoyed he was at fault yet again. "So it's his fault regardless." She cursed under her breath.

Hach disliked such people who intentionally invaded personal space to get ahead, just to annoy you or they wanted information. She typically avoided them. Now that Gibbs was aware of this, she knew enough of his reputation that he was the type to exploit such knowledge for his own reasons. She had to keep Agent Gibbs out of her business.

Ducky appeared in the hallway stepping into the Forensics lab and through the glass enclosure. "Hach, are you all right?"

She immediately spun around at his presence, trying to smooth out her appearance. As if she was caught in the act of a crime. Her chin quivered slightly but Hach firmed it quickly to hide every emotion taking in a deep breath. She hated someone knowing her feathers were ruffled…if the saying held any truth.

He paused. "You seem beside yourself."

"Ah…" Hach found the ability to secure her emotions difficult at the moment. "Yes. Training turned out to be more strenuous than I…" She struggled for words. "…imagined."

"You're training with a mild concussion?" Ducky inquired slightly aghast, faked for general appearances only. "Are you trying to make things worse for yourself, my dear?"

Hach only glared at him. "It's only a minor concussion, doctor."

"To risk further injury…is." He paused for effect then decided to change the subject noting her expression of disdain. "Training is typically difficult when you learn more than you wanted to. I hope you didn't cause yourself any further injury. Everyone's been looking for you." Ducky lifted his chin when Hach suddenly looked away. "I found you in the agent training room. Once I realized you were with Jethro…" He noted the slight shiver from Hach. "…I informed the others you were still here at the Naval Yard."

Hach was clearly rattled by Jethro Gibbs, Ducky noted. He witnessed the entire conversation and the accidental…incident. Hach would not want anyone to know about this event. However, the entire scene was far more indicative of Dr. Hature's hidden nature.

"In hind sight, I should've told someone I was going to the agents training room." Hach took another deep breath. "Alas, no one died, thus I believe we'll all be fine now."

"I noticed you were sparring with Jethro." Ducky approached Hach cautiously.

"Agent Gibbs wanted to prove the point that meeting Ryan Nickson face to face will be less advantageous for me than for him." Hach shivered. "I must admit, the notion never occurred to me." She paused at Ducky's expression and guessed he was more than aware of what transpired between Agent Gibbs and her. "I've adjusted my thinking and will now include this oversight."

"Hach." Ducky stepped forward wanting her to confide in him.

Hach glanced at Ducky then frowned slightly. "Agent Gibbs didn't hurt me, if that's what you're thinking, doctor. Though, his…training method was a bit unnecessary."

He pretended to do a search over her knowing there were no outward signs of injury. "Are you sure you're not hurt?"

"I believe 'surprised' is a more accurate term." Hach felt Ducky knew more than he admitted. "Since I'm to remain here at the NCIS Naval Yard under the Director's orders, I believe I will bid you a 'good night'."

That was the end of that, Ducky realized.

Hach would keep her secrets for one more night.

But if the evidence he just witnessed were any indication, they would not remain hidden for much longer. Once Jethro Gibbs was onto something he did not back off. And Dr. Guinevere Hature possessed far more secrets than most of the NCIS staff put together. He knew Jethro shared the Director's view that she was a dangerous woman. But to what extent was this danger?

TO BE CONTINUED…


	29. Episode 10: Paradox Part 5

**NCIS Season 9**

**Episode 9.10.2**

**Paradox**

**By: Lady JenDragon**

**Disclaimer: **NCIS isn't mine.

**Author's Notes: **Enjoy.

* * *

**PARADOX**

**Part Five**

**Chapter Thirty-One**

Walking into Autopsy, Ducky found Jethro Gibbs sitting at his desk waiting for him to return. His posture verified Jethro knew he crossed a line with Hach this evening. However, to observe her response and eventual reaction told him much about the good doctor.

Ducky walked towards his desk. "So what was the point of the kiss exactly?" He smirked. "You believed she wouldn't understand the simple chemistry between Nickson and his obsession over his obtaining the person he believes is Gwendolyn Stillman?"

Gibbs shrugged and threw his hands up in confusion and resigned himself to the incident. "It was accidental, Duck." He leaned his head back and looked up at the ceiling.

"Invading her personal space wasn't intentional?"

Gibbs sighed. "Maybe to frighten her a bit." He paused before continuing. "I just wanted to get through to her somehow." How else could he explain what happened. "Prove that she's in more danger than she thinks she understands." He shook his head. "How can she not see it?"

"She believes she's untouchable by those of lesser intelligence." Ducky nodded. "I've seen this behavior in more than one person like her before."

Gibbs did not understand the lack of common sense. "Do I have to beat it into her?"

"That might do more harm to you than to her." Ducky had tidbits to go on. "The Director of Forensics is a lesson in layers, Jethro. Hach buries herself in her work with the idea that it'll make her safe. Being the Director of Forensics, she doesn't come up against the killers you seek out through investigation. She has done some field work but it never dawns on her that it might follow her home."

"She hates me, Duck." Gibbs folded his hands. "It's cold, it's deep, and I don't know why. I see it in her eyes every time I look at her."

"It doesn't appear directed at you. Perhaps you remind her of someone from her past?" There was more than one answer to this hatred he witnessed in Hach's eyes when she glanced in Jethro's direction, Ducky surmised. "Someone who hurt her deep enough to pass along the hate to someone she doesn't even know." Ducky smiled weakly then. "You might've scared her enough to make this realization tonight." He paused at the silent reflection his friend currently pondered as he spoke. "She responded to you."

"She fought me." Gibbs pointed out.

"At first, yes." Ducky knew this was something. "But eventually she responded."

"She gave in since she couldn't fight me off, Duck." Gibbs paused then looked up and over at Ducky. "How much did you see?"

"Enough to make an educated guess." This was a turning point for Hach, Ducky realized. "She became unglued in Abby's lab just now. I went after her to observe her reaction as I inquired as to whether she was hurt or not and did she need assistance. When she realized I was there, Hach attempted to appear unphased by her 'training' session with you."

"Pissed off?" Gibbs queried.

"More at herself, I think." Ducky remembered the intimate scene. "She let her guard down for only a few seconds. She blames you for it, of course."

"Of course." He expected nothing less.

"You're intrigued by her." Ducky noted the glimmer in Jethro's eyes.

He witnessed the same response to a female before. Stephanie Flynn became Leroy Jethro Gibbs fourth wife as a result and the third he divorced. Ducky smirked at the idea of Hach falling for Jethro. Somehow he thought hell freezing over might be more plausible.

Gibbs needed to change the subject. "What I want to know is why Nickson's so hell bent on Gwendolyn Stillman?"

This subject would need to be revisited later, Ducky decided.

Ducky leaned against his desk, looking to his left at Jethro sitting in his desk chair. "Ryan Nickson lived on the next block over from Miss Stillman when he started his reign of terror. Some would argue it was that she represented innocence, his version of love untainted by society. I doubt he ever intended to harm Gwendolyn Stillman, a pure girl at the time. A majority of his victims were wayward young women, those who strayed from civilized society without anyone knowing until they went missing. Most of his victims were middle-class teenagers who thought they were untouchable."

"Gwendolyn wasn't anything like them at that time." Gibbs read the file extensively. "She had a rough time as it was hiding her intellect from her mother. She was probably just as smart as Dr. Hature is if…" He left the rest unsaid but continued. "Her step-father was no better than the mother. He was a known drunk in the neighborhood and spent more time in a bar than at home." He realized he left out an important piece of information. "I met her…their parents today."

Ducky hoped for more information regarding both the victim and Hach. "And?"

"Hach maintains a distant relationship with her father that's out of obligation not love." Gibbs wondered how Hach survived her early years. "Sam Hature was never allowed near Gwendolyn after the divorce though it's clear he wanted to know more about his daughter. Her mother thinks Hature's the walking devil among us. How she viewed Gwendolyn is beyond me."

This was his area of expertise. "Gwendolyn would've been considered the 'good' daughter. Hence the reason she took young Gwen in the divorce." Abby told him Gibbs forced Hach to visit her parents with him earlier in the day. "Though it's no surprise how her mother treated Hach when you went to inform her of Gwendolyn's death. They haven't had contact with one another since the divorce. There could also be some lingering anger on Deborah Stillman's part towards Sam Hature." Ducky knew some of Hach's history. "I'm not surprised she focused all of her hatred for both her ex-husband and Hach's abilities solely on the surviving twin in attendance during your visit."

Gibbs jerked his head towards Ducky. "How do you blame a six-year old for learning quicker than other kids, Duck?" It confounded him, Gibbs realized.

"Are you appalled with Hach or for her?"

Gibbs shook his head. "Ah…maybe both." He got to his feet suddenly uncomfortable with the subject. "My parents were never like that."

"Not everyone should be parents, Jethro." Ducky nodded. "What of the father's career?"

"He rose through the ranks quickly." Gibbs found that odd. "Five years as a seal and he becomes Captain? He was in line for an Admiral's position. Something's off, Duck."

Little surprised Ducky these days. "No doubt due to Hach's abilities and their military applications."

"She clearly holds it against him." Gibbs saw that much. "There's no warmth between them. Did you know Hach was seven when she started college?"

Ducky watched Jethro closely. "I know a good deal about her. We socialize in the same professional circles through NCIS. We met a few times at conferences and meetings but rarely conversed in a more intimate setting as colleagues. Did you know Hach operates at the PhD level in nineteen subject areas?" He needed to pause. "Many of which neither you nor I care to dabble in."

"And yet she grew up in that…" Gibbs lost the ability to describe his meeting with her parents.

"An environment you don't comprehend." Ducky understood Jethro's concern. "I don't pretend to understand the depths of a brilliant mind when I see one. But I do know her world will fall apart if Nickson gets a hold of her. She's no longer the innocent he once thought of Gwendolyn Stillman as. Ryan Nickson wants to take possession now." It had to be said. "He'll kill her when he finds out she isn't Gwendolyn. He'll remember his former victim far better than you or I ever could from reading a file."

Gibbs nodded and knew he had to find Ryan Nickson before he found Hach and learned the truth. He paused leaning forward to stand. "Who's Jay?"

"Godson." Ducky knew more than he realized. "He just turned twelve recently. Hach became his guardian a little more than a year ago after his mother was killed in a helicopter crash in the Pacific. Lt. Samantha Case was the pilot when her copter crashed off the starboard side of the Reagan. She was also Hach's cousin. A daughter to an aunt on her father's side, as I understand it. Young Jason Whitmere was away at school at the time."

Gibbs shook his head that people chose to send their kids away during the formidable years of development. "Boarding school?" He stood up ready to leave Autopsy in order to go find an available couch to sleep on for the night.

"College, Jethro." Ducky smirked this time. "He's a prodigy much like Hach though not nearly as accelerated. But I think Hach slowed him down on purpose."

"You met him?" Gibbs found the idea of Dr. Hature being a guardian to a child almost laughable.

"No." Ducky smiled. "I just started asking questions about him when she mentioned him in a conversation on my trip to Pearl earlier this year. I joined Abby for the first few days of the forensics conference only since my duties here called me back sooner. Abby and I cornered her after a seminar to ask about inconsistencies in the Perfecto case. Abigail had a much easier time relating to Hach than I. I don't think Hach meant it to slip about her godson. But she does act like a proud parent of young Jay and she's overly protective of who knows about him."

Gibbs guessed why. "I would too."

With that he walked towards the doors to exit Autopsy. Ducky watched Jethro leave with his arms folded and his head turned slightly.

**Chapter Thirty-Two**

The clock ticked over to twelve-thirty in the morning. Ziva David and Tim McGee were sleeping in Abby's back room on sleeping bags that were kept in stock at the lab for last minute overnight stays. Apparently this occurred often enough Abby kept seven under the table in case the entire team was required to stay at the Naval Yard. She was mildly aware that Tony DiNozzo and Agent Gibbs was off somewhere else in the building stretched out on a couch or sofa where they found one available.

She did not want to face Agent Gibbs at the moment so she relented to allow Gibbs' team to watch over her. Abby, Jimmy Palmer, and Dr. Mallard were ordered to go home for the night and return the next day. Protection duty was a job for NCIS agent's not forensic staff despite Abby's protest to join the slumber party.

Hach sat watching her computer monitor without really seeing it. Her face in her hands, she took a deep breath to steady her nerves. She sighed again unable to think clearly. The lesson with Gibbs remained fresh in her mind and hated herself for allowing it to happen.

"I just have to let it go…"

She left her thoughts alone suddenly afraid of them. Her fingers tapped at the keyboard blindly but somehow the keystrokes were in order. A photo of Director Jenny Shepard popped up onto the screen. Her eyes narrowed and turned cold.

Hach wanted nothing to do with the DC office for whatever reason Shepard wanted her here for. "Why did you want me here in DC all those years ago?"

She brought up several photos from an archive found on the flash drive she plugged into the computer. Photos of Jenny Shepard and Jethro Gibbs sitting in a car stared back at her. The street could be any in the world but she knew it to be Paris. It had been dark and the temperatures plummeted when the photo was taken all those years ago. A freak rainstorm blew through the region prior to her making that final decision. It was the late 90's if she remembered correctly. Newly assigned to Special Agent Gibbs' team in Europe, Hach was on her mandatory recovery vacation when she snapped the photo. She allowed the photos to flash every three seconds. The pair appeared far friendlier than NCIS agents should be together.

"What were you up to?" Hach felt incapable of thinking about anything useful to the case. "Why is this happening now?"

But she stopped herself from thinking about the subject any further. Hach did not allow the trivial occurrences like kissing fellow NCIS agents, dating and deciphering human relations to affect her work. To harbor such emotional responses to these unavoidable incidents was juvenile. Deciding that her interlude with Agent Gibbs meant nothing, she dismissed it from her mind.

"I'll figure out what you were up to." Hach frowned at the singular photo of Jennifer Shepard and whispered. "You always had a plan for everything."

But she never bothered to find out the plan.

With that, Hach stroked a few keys and the pictures disappeared and she removed the flash drive from the computer. She hit a few buttons and got back to work. A string of chemical formulas and DNA results popped up in a window that began an upward scroll across the screen. There was little she could do at the moment but she was not allowed to go home without a NCIS escort. She was damned if she was going to sleep with strangers in her house. And that was a few hours drive one-way.

**Chapter Thirty-Three**

The next morning, McGee checked the records, again finding nothing useful. No matter where they looked, all they hit were dead ends. Now that they knew where Stillman ended and Benack started, they could link the timeline for her movements. Ziva and Tony were not having any better luck pursuing their usual lines of investigation than he was at the digital versions. Gibbs arrived with his morning coffee.

"Boss!" Tim looked up from his screen. "There's literally a four-year gap between the last trail left by Gwendolyn Stillman and her becoming a tenant of the Bethesda Psyche Ward as Benack."

Gibbs said nothing more as Tony and Ziva arrived in the office side-by-side from the direction of the locker rooms after they showered and changed. They carried their toiletry bags back to their desks and placed them in side drawers, taking their respective seats. Despite spending the night on a couch, DiNozzo rested comfortably and apparently felt good this morning. Tony whined about his back aching from the couch in the conference room before heading off to the showers earlier. He noted the back still ached his senior field agent as he sat down behind his desk.

Currently, he was aware that Dr. Hature, Hach, stayed up most of the night running samples from other cases and went to sleep around six this morning. She would be up later in the morning since Abby arrived just after seven to take over the lab analysis pertaining to the case. Hach was under the Director's orders not to touch anything from their case. Protocols were to be strictly adhered to until the case was closed. They did not want anyone to slip through the legal loopholes should Hach touch something that tainted the evidence. That and it would make Abby angry. Gibbs smiled at the idea of Abby angry over Hach tainting evidence making said evidence inadmissible in court.

"We didn't find anything out from her neighbors from her last known address as Stillman." Tony sighed as he glared at his computer screen. "They barely knew she existed and she never went out during the day."

Ziva found Stillman's living arrangement habits odd. "She didn't really live there. It was more of an address for mail. Her mother ended the lease and cleared out anything left when Miss Stillman went missing before she turned up at Bethesda."

"No boyfriends or family was seen coming or going from the apartment." Tony looked through his notepad. "In fact, few people realized someone even lived there."

There was something odd about Miss Stillman's habits.

"She was hiding from someone." Gibbs reminded his team. "Nickson was part of her past."

"So, someone else besides Nickson." Ziva realized this made sense. "He was in jail without the possibility of parole. Ron Banks was charged, convicted, did his time, and now works as a mechanic."

"Track him down." Gibbs looked at the map of Virginia hung up beside the photos at his desk.

Tony and Ziva exchanged a glance then collected their field bags, weapons and IDs. This was a line of investigation everyone seemed to have missed. The team was off their A-game recently. This brought up another question in Gibbs mind.

He asked out loud. "How did Nickson know Hach was in Norfolk?"

Tim looked to Ziva and Tony getting ready to leave to find Ron Banks. Neither of them had an answer to Gibbs' question. But he wanted them to find that answer so Tony and Ziva headed toward the elevator and Tim pondered how he could find the answer Gibbs was looking for.

A beep on his computer got Tim's attention. "Uh, boss." Tim looked towards the plasma. "I got the unregistered number Stillman called five times in a row from the payphone outside the ward."

Gibbs looked at the plasma realizing the name flashing at the bottom of the screen: Guinevere Hature.

**Chapter Thirty-Four**

The mechanics shop in western West Virginia appeared abandoned when Tony and Ziva arrived at the facility. 'Bob's Repair' shop and aging sign were seemingly devoid of people. Vehicles in various states of repair were scattered across the property. They exited their Dodge Charger with an eerie sense of dread.

"Something's off." Tony quickly surveyed the building.

"Besides the fact no one's here?" Ziva missed what Tony was talking about.

Still, he had a police sense. It never steered them wrong in the past. So she was willing to go along with the intention to treat this Ron Banks, the former CO of Gwendolyn Stillman.

"Yeah that and the fact that it's a weekday and no one's here to even get a quote for auto repair." Tony glanced at the two-lane highway they drove on to get here. "I don't see Banks' vehicle here."

Ziva glanced around. "You're right." She glanced at her notepad. "He's has a 1998 Buick Regal."

They approached the front of the building cautiously. If someone wanted them to think Ron Banks was here, they were going to do things by the book.

Tony glared into the front windows of the shop finding no one moving around inside. "His roommate said he was here."

Ziva opened the front door, unholstering her SIG as Tony past her moving inside. She gripped her weapon in both hands once inside the shop's customer receiving area. Four chairs were lined against the dirty blue walls. There was a long counter with a liftgate for mechanics to enter/exit the back area. Now was not the time to let her guard down.

"NCIS!" Ziva called out. "Anyone here?"

No one answered.

"I don't like this." Tony moved to the lift gate counter taking his SIG into his hand.

He held the lift gate up for Ziva to pass him. She checked behind the counter for anyone they could not see and nodded that no one was on the floor. Ziva waited for Tony to pass through the lift gate and replaced the counter back down. She noted the office with no other egress routes off to her left. There was a window looking into the back repair shop. Only two vehicles were visible from their vantage point.

"Clear." Ziva whispered looking inside the tiny office. "I don't see anyone in the back from here."

"Let's take it slow." Tony replied.

Entering the vehicle repair shop, Ziva and Tony went fast but efficiently. They cleared most of the open area immediately finding little to impede their visibility. Coming around the corner, they found the legs of a mechanic sticking out from underneath the bright red Ford currently waiting for a brake job.

"Hey!" Tony straightened letting down his guard.

Ziva did not like the fact the guy did not move. "You think it's Ron Banks?"

Tony shrugged moving towards the mechanic. He kicked the legs gently once he was in range but nothing happened. He sighed knowing they were too late. Squatting down, he pulled on the boot, finding the body on a flat dolly. The body came out from beneath the vehicle easily, the name 'Ron' silk-screened into the patch over his left shirt pocket. There was a hole in the center of his forehead. A brown squarish piece of paper was pinned to his shirt over a button with the unmistakable letter 'R' written in black ink.

Tony took out a photo from his inner pocket and compared it to the face of the body. "It's Ron Banks alright."

"The Reaper?" Ziva frowned. "Why would he kill Ron Banks?"

"I don't know." Tony shrugged as he stood up and found his phone. "This case keeps getting weirder and weirder by the hour."

Dialing a number, he lifted the phone to his ear.

**Chapter Thirty-Five**

Gibbs strolled into Autopsy, coffee in hand, needing to escape the confines of the office since they were nowhere closer to finding the link between Gwendolyn Stillman, Ron Banks, and how The Reaper knew either of them. Ducky had Ron Bank's insides currently in various stages of removal. The cloth with a tray of utensils over the hip area reminded him Ducky was only about half done with his examination.

"Duck."

Ducky glanced up at him. "He was killed late yesterday afternoon. Around four pm according to the thermometer."

"Cause of death?" Gibbs took a drink of his coffee.

Ducky looked up at him. "The hole in his head is more than clear, Jethro."

"The Reaper shot Ron Banks point blank?"

"I'd say The Reaper had a vendetta against Mr. Banks." Ducky looked inside the body. "There's an indication that our victim suffered a massive beating prior to his death. X-rays confirmed four ribs, his left ankle, right ulna, and left femur all display an array of fractures and breaks he received prior to the bullet ending his life."

Gibbs considered the possibility. "Stillman." He paused. "The Reaper knew her somehow."

"Seems apparent to me he did." Ducky glanced up at Jethro. "Perhaps more than knew her?"

That led Gibbs to conclude. "She had to know his identity."

Ducky shrugged. "Maybe not initially." He had been thinking about it since he learned that Ron Banks body was in route to NCIS Autopsy. "I suspect Miss Stillman discovered his identity later on and made the effort to run."

"It was The Reaper who found Gwendolyn Stillman." Gibbs looked down at Ron Banks. "Not Nickson."

"You're referring to the paper found in her pocket?"

Gibbs nodded. "It had the words 'I found you' on it."

"Yes." Ducky stopped what he was doing and nodded. "We, at one point, thought it was from Nickson."

"This changes everything." Gibbs hated the idea of The Reaper playing with another of his cases. "He's playing with us, Duck."

Ducky watched Jethro leave Autopsy in a hurry.

**Chapter Thirty-Six**

Vance eyed Agent Gibbs clearly annoyed by their recent findings. It was alarming that the Reaper was finding his way around NCIS people easily. That there was a close connection to Dr. Hature alarmed him. How Secretary Jarvis would take this…well that remained to be seen.

"Let me get this straight…The Reaper killed Ron Banks?" He needed to get the information clear. "He put a bullet in Gwendolyn Stillman CO's head?"

"The details of her attack were kept from the public. Those records were sealed by SecNav and the Director of NCIS at the time." Gibbs leaned on Vance's desk. "Only those of us who were involved with the investigation knew his name. It's not public knowledge, Leon."

Vance knew what that meant. "Under Director Morrow at the time." He got to his feet. "Unfortunately, that information is no longer protected by law, Gibbs. Anyone could've accessed the files and learned his name these days. The Statute of Limitations passed more than a year ago. Miss Stillman's change of name and current whereabouts are the only thing protected now."

Gibbs straightened hoping he would be able to interview the current Assistant Director of Homeland Security.

"You knew she was at Bethesda?"

Vance nodded. "Director Shepard permitted her to take up residence there on our dime. Miss Stillman needed protection. She felt it was the least we could do for one of our own. The psyche ward was cheaper than witness protection."

Gibbs shook his head in disbelief.

"We didn't know she had any connection to The Reaper." Vance shoved his hands into his pockets. "He wasn't on our radar till Hach brought him to our attention last year."

He lost his patience. "Great."

Gibbs left Vance's office more irritated than when he arrived.

**Chapter Thirty-Seven**

Abby eyed Hach calmly yet anyone could tell she desperately wanted to ask a personal question. Standing at her workstation, she eyed Hach around the edge of the computer screen. She shifted on her feet more than usual watching Hach peer into a microscope, facing her.

"No evidence from Banks?" Hach inquired.

Hach knew Abby was the kind to wonder profusely when she got wind of gossip wandering around NCIS. If Ducky explained to others what he witnessed in the agents training room last night, her accident with Agent Gibbs would now be common knowledge. She was unsure how to feel about this at the moment and chose to ignore Abby's longing stare to ask her questions.

"No." Abby shook her head. "Despite having been a human punching bag, The Reaper left no trace evidence on him. Even the bullet was erased for prints."

"I see." Hach remained calm, peering into the microscope at her makeshift station. "You seem twitchy today, Miss Sciuto."

Abby lowered her head to respond when Gibbs walked into the lab.

"Tell me you have something, Abs." Gibbs almost sounded hopeful rather than the usual open-minded.

Abby abruptly turned to face him, her hands behind her back, and responded mournfully. "Sorry, Gibbs. He left nothing behind this time except his usual calling card." She turned to tap a few keys.

The brown square of paper with the black ink appeared on the large plasma screen. The 'R' left in disjointed calligraphy was recognizable and appeared a legit clue. Gibbs only gave Hach a quick glimpse then paid Abby his full attention.

"Nothing that I can trace right now." Abby sounded sad that she was useless at the moment. "I know what you're going to say, Gibbs. I checked the paper and the style of the letter. The construction of the letter 'R' matches all the other clues he's left before. Same with the paper. Dead on match. It's The Reaper all right. He's just as annoying as Perfecto."

Gibbs walked around to Hach, standing beside her. "Nothing to add, doctor?"

Hach did not look up from her microscope. "Do I have to take out a restraining order against you, Agent Gibbs?"

"How did The Reaper know your sister?" He spoke plainly.

Abby covered her mouth with both hands when Hach lifted her head then turned to face Gibbs.

"News to me." She stood up from her chair. "If you remember, she and I weren't talking."

Gibbs grabbed Hach by the arm pulling her out of the Forensics lab.

"Wonderful." Hach sighed heavily noting Abby's surprised expression as she unwillingly left the lab with Gibbs pulling on her arm. "Back to bullying tactics are we?"

In shock of the events in her lab, Abby stood for only a moment. Shaking her head, Abby went back to work pretending to not care about what was going on with those two. Still, it would be interesting if Tony, Tim and Ziva knew something she did not. All she knew was that sometime last night something changed in Hach.

And no one was willing to talk or postulate about it this morning claiming they knew nothing. Ducky was the only one who appeared remotely guilty of knowing something. However, he was far more creative about changing the subject when avoiding a direct question. That would take more conniving to get what Ducky Mallard knew about Gibbs and Hach out of him.

"Make no mistake my little Gibbs-mates." Abby said with finality. "I will find out."

**Chapter Thirty-Eight**

Gibbs pushed Hach against the wall of the elevator currently locked between sub-basement floors 1 and 2. Hach could only guess why Agent Gibbs was agitated today after the body of Ron Banks, Gwen's former CO, was found. Her first assumption, he was not getting the answers he wanted fast enough.

"I'm not luggage!" Hach warned. "Stop handling me!"

"We checked the phone records!" Gibbs eyed her harshly. "Gwen called you the night before she died!"

Hach narrowed her eyes and shot back. "Well, if you checked the records then you know I didn't answer my damn phone!"

Gibbs noted the hurt look in her eyes. "She called you five times in a row!"

"And I ignored her!" Hach pushed his hands off her then walked away from him rubbing her face to keep her cool. "On purpose."

Gibbs said nothing realizing what Hach had done to her own sister.

"You don't think I haven't thought about my actions since then?" She sighed, her voice quivering. "That part of me that thought she finally felt guilty for all the years I spent searching for her and always seemed to keep one step ahead of me. She never wanted to see me before and now I was supposed to believe she was calling me at such a late hour for a family reunion?"

His demeanor suddenly changed towards her, his voice low. "Don't." Gibbs knew why Hach did what she did. "You didn't know why at the time."

"I do now." Hach refrained from crying in front of him though tears formed in her eyes. "Doesn't mean I don't feel any less crappy for it." Hach wanted revenge for her sister's past actions and she was killed before they ever got meet again. "I wanted her to feel what I felt after all these years." The regret was immense, her voice quivered. "Shutting me out, avoiding me at all costs."

Hach glanced up at the ceiling then took a moment to pull herself back together.

"It never dawned on me she was in trouble." Hach turned to face Gibbs. "By the one who eventually found and killed her. And all I could think about that night was the payback I wanted." Hach felt she deserved to be judged. "So yeah." She took a deep breath. "I never bothered to pick up the damn phone."

Gibbs sighed then. "She didn't leave a voicemail, did she?"

Hach shook her head. "No." Part of her cringed that her anger took precedent over logic that Gwen might have called in an emergency. "If Gwen was as smart as I thought she was and she was in trouble and she couldn't get a hold of someone. She would've left something behind for us to find."

That got his attention. "You've been looking?"

Then it dawned on him that she had been looking at the bed sheets from the psyche ward microscopically when he walked into the lab. It never dawned on him that anyone would leave a clue in fabric. But that did not mean it would be easy to find. The Reaper was almost as smart as his forensic staff was and seemed to pick up on where to look for clues.

"Trying." Hach shook her head, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Gwen hasn't made things easy. If she left a clue, I haven't been able to find it."

Gibbs moved and switched the elevator back into operation. "Let me know when you find something."

Hach only nodded when the doors opened and she exited the confined space. When the doors closed, Gibbs leaned against the wall, his fingers hanging just inside his pockets as he contemplated his exchange with Hach. He had her completely all wrong.

The doors opened and Ducky stood watching him.

"Just the person I needed to see." Ducky waited for Gibbs to join him.

"What is it, Duck?" Gibbs needed more than what he had.

Ducky lifted his chin. "It appears Gwendolyn Stillman gave birth to a child approximately thirteen years ago."

Gibbs looked at Ducky and sighed heavily.

**Chapter Thirty-Nine**

Jimmy Palmer eagerly found Dr. Mallard in the hallway with Agent Gibbs near the elevator discussing Gwendolyn Stillman and Dr. Hature. He caught a word here and there as he approached them. The two men were softly conversing, clearly ignoring anyone in the hall. Jimmy felt it was imperative to break into their exchange.

"Uh, doctor?" He hated to interrupt.

Ducky and Gibbs both paused to face him. Gibbs appeared annoyed that Jimmy was once again involving himself in his investigation. However, upon seeing Jimmy's anxiousness, he was willing to listen. Ducky felt the same only he recognized Jimmy's body language and understood its importance.

"I…I have something you need to see…" Jimmy pointed. "Like right now."

Gibbs glanced at Ducky.

Both were perplexed by his insistence, following him back into autopsy. Jimmy appeared overly disturbed today. The photos of the Stillman autopsy were laid out on the middle examination table where the file was hap-hazardly set in a stack. One was of Gwendolyn Stillman's ear.

"I was sifting through the photos." Jimmy stopped to correct himself. "Well, actually I dropped the file on the floor. And I was putting the photos back in order when I found this." He lifted one photo and gave it to Ducky.

Ducky was annoyed but then it faded quickly looking to Jimmy. "Are you sure?"

"Positive." Jimmy pointed towards the drawer sitting out, Gwendolyn Stillman's head currently uncovered. "If Abby hadn't shown me what she was working on before, I would've completely missed it."

Gibbs moved towards the body with Ducky and Jimmy close behind. Ducky moved around Jethro, positioning himself to take a closer look behind the left ear. He shifted Gwendolyn's head towards her right side to look for the missed evidence. Sure enough, the mark was there.

"I completely missed it." Ducky lifted his eyes to Jethro.

"I did too, doctor!" Jimmy eagerly pointed out.

"What is it?" Gibbs knew nothing of the small cuts.

"It's the call insignia of…" Ducky had to take a breath. "…Perfecto."

Jimmy looked directly at Gibbs. "Perfecto left his calling card on Gwendolyn Stillman."

Gibbs glared at Ducky with the expression of 'you're-kidding-me'. The three stood there unsure what to do next for several seconds as the enormity of the evidence sunk in.

Gibbs seemed unable to grasp the complexity of the case. "When the hell did Perfecto join in?"

He left autopsy immediately with the intention of informing one person. Ducky understood this was important and followed Jethro out. He would take the elevator to the fourth floor while Jethro took the stairs to clear his head by the time he reached the Director's office.

**Chapter Forty**

The Director's office was not the place to be at the moment.

Leon Vance changed since they last saw him. He now wore a black suit with white shirt, and oil-slick black shoes today. And he was not a man to be trifled with and today did not start off well with the Feds demanding a status update on the pursuit of serial killer Ryan Nickson. And now, they had to add Perfecto to the list of wanted suspects involved in the Stillman murder.

"So what you're telling me is that Perfecto killed Gwendolyn Stillman?" Vance asked Ducky directly, the pathologist standing at attention. "And The Reaper killed Ron Banks?"

Gibbs stood next to Ducky knowing the doctor could stand up against Leon's cold stare.

"It appears so, Director." Ducky knew little of what was going on with this case only that it was getting more complicated the more they investigated. "Young Mr. Palmer discovered the insignia left by Perfecto by accident. Abby showed him Perfecto's insignia from one of the victim's before on one of her breaks from the case."

Vance knew things were becoming far more complicated than he wanted them. "How was it missed the first time?"

"The insignia wasn't completed since there was not lot of time needed to hang Miss Stillman." Ducky had little to go on. "Since the body was hung, the sheet used to hang the victim pulled the skin taught hiding the remainder of the mark he cut into the skin."

"First Reaper then Nickson and now Perfecto." Vance sighed. "What else is next?"

His phone buzzed and his secretary's feminine voice spoke evenly. "Director, the White House is on line two."

Vance sighed. "Great, serial killers and mercenaries. Just what I need right now." He turned to Gibbs. "Find Reaper and Perfecto. If we tag Nickson as a result, I'll count us lucky."

Gibbs nodded as Vance moved to pick up the phone to find out what the White House wanted this time. Ducky and Gibbs walked towards the door together in silence but their eyes had a conversation of their own. Outside of the Director's office, Ducky looked to Jethro. Things were heating up at NCIS now.

Ducky felt danger lurking closer to home. "What do we do now?"

Gibbs reply was simple. "Tell Abby it's come home."

TO BE CONTINUED…


	30. Episode 10: Paradox Part 6

**NCIS Season 9**

**Episode 9.10.3**

**Paradox**

**By: Lady JenDragon**

**Disclaimer: **We know the drill but I do declare my own characters as mine.

**Author's Notes: **Don't forget to review.

* * *

**PARADOX**

**Part Six**

**Chapter Forty-One**

Gibbs walked with Ducky out of the Director of NCIS secretary's office when he spotted T.C. Fornell waiting by the elevator. He wore a black suit with blue shirt and black tie. He straightened when he made eye contact with Gibbs.

"Duck." Gibbs realized this was important. "Meet me at Abby's."

Ducky noted Fornell waiting ahead of them. "Certainly, Jethro." He knew better not to ask any more questions and veered towards the secondary set of elevators closer to Autopsy he could take down to the Forensics laboratory.

Gibbs walked towards Fornell who appeared overly anxious today.

"Tobias." They met at the elevator doors.

"Heard you've been busy."

Gibbs shrugged. "Nothing more than usual."

The doors opened, Gibbs was first followed by Fornell. Tobias walked to the far wall and turned to face the senior NCIS agent. Gibbs stood by the operation panel. They waited for the doors to close, Gibbs pressing the button for Floor 1 and the Basement. The elevator began moving when he flicked the switch over 'non-operational'.

"What is it this time, Tobias?" He had a lot to do right now. "I'm busy."

"Intel tells us Perfecto's in DC."

"Ya think?" Gibbs faced Tobias. "He just killed a Navy petty officer."

"Gwendolyn Benack, aka, Stillman." Tobias nodded. "We know. She used to be a suspect as a Reaper contact."

"Reaper?" Gibbs frowned. "What's the connection between Stillman, The Reaper, and Perfecto?"

That made Tobias straighten. "Word is they're part of the former Army Reaper Project based in the Philippines. A falsified soldier-cloning project…"

"That turned out to be nothing more than artificial insemination using stolen eggs. Colonel Shepard was responsible for shutting it down. We know." Gibbs was irritated. "Tell me something useful."

"It was supposed to create an army of mercenary guns-for-hire." Tobias eyed Jethro Gibbs closely. "From birth to adulthood they were to be trained as assassins. As far as the project's concerned, all but twelve of the children created from the project were eliminated. They used to call them the Lucky Twelve. We've located four of the original twelve."

"Alive or dead?" Gibbs noted the look in Fornell's eyes.

"Dead." He sighed. "Someone's taking them out one at a time. Word on the hill is that Perfecto's been unleashed to find the others and terminate. He's a real nut-job and no one knows who he is. No prints, no name."

"You know what he looks like?" Gibbs wanted answers.

"We wish it was that easy." Tobias shook his head. "CIA was supposed to supervise the irradication of the test subjects after the Reaper Project was debunked by Shepard. However, it has been recently discovered that a number of agents had their own agendas and cashed in on the leftovers"

That made Gibbs pause. "So some of the other kids were never terminated?"

"Possible." Tobias smiled. "You know how it is. CIA does things their way. Didn't you know it's our job to clean up after their mess?"

Gibbs had to ask for clarification. "How do you know these kids survived?"

"I've got friends in low places who decided to start talking recently in exchange for witness protection." Tobias smiled. "How's Hature working out?"

Gibbs shook his head. "She's fine…I guess."

Tobias smiled. "Give her my number when you get a chance."

Gibbs shrugged. "Give it to her yourself." He paused knowing Tobias was smiling behind him. "She hates you."

"About as much as she does you." Gibbs replied.

That made Gibbs wince then he flipped the switch back over to 'operate'. There was more information they were not finding. Though Tobias occasionally said something useful, his FBI friend knew that he would check to see if this information could be verified through other channels. His current investigation was only scratching the surface.

**Chapter Forty-Two **

The Forensics lab was all but shut down for the time being while the head forensics scientist was informed by NCIS of their recent findings. Abby stood frozen in place unable to think about anything but the news delivered to her by Ducky and Gibbs in her lab. Hach stood next to the workstation letting the words sink in as well.

"So…" Abby glanced at Hach who currently stared at the floor. "…Perfecto killed Gwendolyn Stillman and The Reaper killed Ron Banks?" She looked to Hach. "Little 'H'…I'm…"

Gibbs nodded then stepped forward and took Abby into a very necessary hug. Abby burst into tears knowing her case finally caught up with her and now her team was suffering for it. Gibbs looked to Ducky and sighed. Hach appeared rather unphased by the recent development.

Hach allowed a few seconds of silence to give Abby time to assimilate the news.

"I found something on the bed sheet from Bethesda." Hach knew something was off about the case from the get go. "It's bleach."

"Common bleach?" Gibbs asked keeping Abby close.

"It was Gwen's last ditch effort to leave a clue for us to find." Hach nodded pulling out the paper she wrote out less than ten minutes ago. "It spells out a series of numbers." Holding it up for Gibbs and Ducky to read.

Gibbs moved closer with Abby. "1. 6. 9. 7. 8. 5. An account?"

Abby perked her head up, her eyes red and puffy. "Looks like an encrypted bank and safety deposit box number." She wiped her eyes and left Gibbs, reaching her workstation. "Each bank uses a specific number before the deposit box number to keep their actual customers identified in case someone tried to use the same number at various banks in the area. Or something happens to the bank itself…like an explosion. But the numbers aren't advertised publicly. You'd have to know what to look for and which bank was numbered what. Very few people in the world have that information, Gibbs." She was focused again though her eyes remained red. "Give me a few minutes. I can trace the number to a specific bank."

Gibbs watched the plasma screen pop up a map of the DC area. A red flashing mark indicated the location of the bank and a number popped up indicating the safety deposit box number.

Gibbs stepped forward and kissed Abby at the temple. "Good work, Abs!"

He was gone, his phone against his ear rounding up the team to mobilize to the bank ASAP. Ducky shook his head heading for the door since his presence was no longer needed here. Abby stared at the map for several seconds before turning her attention to Hach.

Abby jogged across the floor and hugged Hach without warning. "I'm so sorry, Little H!"

Hach sighed and mildly amused by the show of affection. "You are aware that you're not to blame, Miss Sciuto?"

Abby perked up, lifted her head and glared at Hach. "But Perfecto killed…Gwen." She lowered her voice. "Your twin sister."

Hach peeled Abby off her.

"By no fault of yours, I assure you." She smiled at Abby hoping to avoid more tears. "Now that we know who did what, we can begin to focus the investigation where it's needed most. Once Agent Gibbs and his team finds what ever is in the safety deposit box, we'll begin our hunt for both Perfecto and The Reaper."

"You're right!" Abby paused then nodded slowly. "Our best course of action is to stop them both." She paused again realizing something important to her. "The FBI isn't going to like this."

That made Hach smile for some reason.

**Chapter Forty-Three **

In the center of the safety deposit box room, the table contained a single drawer with the number 169785 etched in metal. Gibbs, Tony, Ziva and Tim stood around the table wondering what Gwendolyn Stillman kept in the box that someone killed her for it.

Tim looked at the historical records from the bank on the clipboard. "It's registered to a Gwendolyn Cartier."

The bank representative opened the box with his master key. Inside was a stack of papers. Gibbs, with gloved hands, picked up the papers and set them on the cloth laid out by Ziva, also wearing gloves.

Tim spied a certificate on top. "It's a marriage license."

Gibbs handed Tim, with gloved hands, the certificate since he did not bring his reading glasses with him.

"William Cartier married Gwendolyn Stillman thirteen years ago." Tony read the paper solemnly. "Small town in West Virginia. Kept the records from everyone."

Ziva held up another certificate. "Birth certificate for James William Cartier, a baby boy." She frowned. "Who died shortly later from congenital heart defects. Death certificate below the birth certificate."

Tim frowned as he pulled the small file folder from the bottom of the pile. "This is a case file, boss." He opened it a flipped through the stack of paper. "Has the names and birth certificates of every child born under the Reaper cloning program."

Ziva noted the maps and notes made over the course of a number of years from headlines taken from local newspapers. "It appears she was tracking the deaths of specific people she found in the obituaries."

Tony looked at Gibbs. "I bet Perfecto came from the same program."

Ziva lifted a photo of the not-so-badly disfigured Gwendolyn Stillman standing beside William Shepard, aka William Cartier. "She didn't know at this time she married a monster." She frowned at the depth of the disfigurement. "Gibbs…you don't think that her face was…"

Gibbs nodded. "She probably worsened the damage to hide herself." He paused. "I would've if it meant not being found." He shrugged. "She was smart."

Tony and Tim looked through the remainder of the stack left in the safety deposit box. There was a lot of information collected and neatly organized in small handwriting to minimize the amount of materials required to keep hidden. This was the jackpot they were looking for regarding The Reaper.

Tim looked to Gibbs and said with finality. "This is going to take some time to get through all of this, boss."

Gibbs nodded he agreed with that assessment.

Everything in the box was evidence that Gwendolyn Stillman, as Gwen Cartier, realized her new husband was the mercenary called The Reaper. She kept all the records she found and put together a few notes. Then she hid them under her married name. Since William Cartier knew nothing of the safety deposit box, he had no access to it. That left her a loose end.

"When she couldn't get a hold of her sister, she left a clue in bleach." Gibbs realized that this was only part of the bigger picture. "Sow here does Nickson fit in?"

Tony, Ziva and Tim looked up at their boss.

**Chapter Forty-Four**

Satisfied with her progress, Hach leaned back in her chair. Abby worked at workstation looking for more clues and sifting through her file notes on the Perfecto case. She felt her phone ringing in her pocket. Reading the number as 'work', she quickly tapped on 'answer'.

She thought little of the time. "Trey, what is it?"

There was a pause before the digitally altered voice spoke. "Listen carefully if you want me to let Perfecto know where he can find Abigail Sciuto."

Her heartbeat began racing at the idea of what Perfecto would do to Abby Sciuto if he found her. Hach turned and focused her eyes on the top of Abby's head. Letting Perfecto near Abby was…unthinkable. From the evidence he left behind, Abby Sciuto would be dead before dawn. Perfecto was a psychopath and her death would be not so pleasant.

The digitally altered voice continued. "It's time we met."

It took her a moment to pull herself back together. "All right."

Hach stood up and walked out of the lab as the details were given. Abby only noted her lab-mate was leaving once Hach reached the door. She went to ask where she was going but since Hach appeared focused on the call from Trey, her head of staff, so Abby returned to work.

**Chapter Forty-Five **

Gibbs returned with the others back to the Naval Yard with the evidence from the safety deposit box secured under the warrant. It bothered him something felt off about this recent development. Yes, Perfecto and The Reaper knew one another. That much was evident. He arrived at his desk not feeling he needed to be there. Something was calling him towards the lab.

Upon arriving, he found Tim and Ziva with Abby discussing the details of their find at the bank.

Noting there was one person lacking in attendance.

Gibbs interrupted them. "Where's Dr. Hature?"

Abby glanced over her shoulder. "She took a call from her head of staff, Trey." She shrugged. "I haven't seen her since."

"How long ago was that?" Gibbs knew something was wrong immediately.

Abby faced Gibbs. "Like ten minutes."

Gibbs left the lab estimating which direction Hach would have taken had she decided to leave the Naval Yard. She would know better than to leave the safety of NCIS.

"Unless she was coerced to leave." He realized.

Tim and Ziva perked up at Gibbs realization. That meant there was the possibility that someone got to Hach. If she was off the Naval Yard property, they would not find her easily despite her having GPS and Lojack on her Bentley.

**Chapter Forty-Six**

Tim sat at his desk looking for Hach's cellphone signal anywhere in the D.C. area. Thus far, nothing was turning up. She must have turned off the phone once she left the Naval Yard. But why would she leave NCIS?

"Security just confirmed." Tony put the phone down. "Her car isn't in the parking lot."

Ziva put her phone down. "Zack with the front gate says he just saw her leave four minutes ago. Said she was going for something to eat at the docks."

Gibbs stood at his desk staring at the map McGee put up on the plasma. "Where is she going?"

Tony looked to Ziva and they both shrugged.

"The docks?" Tim got to his feet. "It's a clue. There's nothing to eat at the docks."

Gibbs looked to Tim. "The Reaper's luring her there."

Tony got to his feet. "What did he use to get her out of NCIS?"

"Doesn't matter." Gibbs knew motive was the last thing he needed to worry about at the moment. "We have to track her."

"She shut off her phone eleven minutes ago when she arrived at the employee parking lot." Tim reminded Gibbs which only agitated him. "I tried to remote activate it. No luck."

Abby arrived in the Gibbs Den annoyed. "Geez, it's so rude when people just think they can write all over the walls in an elevator." She paused at the worry on their expressions. "What's going on?"

Tony looked to Abby. "The Reaper lured Hach off the Naval Yard."

"So." Abby got nervous. "She didn't get a phone call from her head of staff, Trey, then?"

Gibbs suddenly turned to Abby. "You said there's graffiti in the elevator?"

"Yeah, 343 pier 12." Abby rolled her eyes. "What a stupid tag name!"

Gibbs smiled then realized they were just given a gift. Tim and Tony looked at one another and smiled too realizing its importance. Ziva was already grabbing her SIG and ID with the intention of heading for the stairs. The elevator would take too damn long.

"Hach left us a clue in a place The Reaper couldn't trace." Ziva was astonished at the simplicity.

Gibbs was followed by Ziva then Tim and lastly Tony.

**Chapter Forty-Seven**

Hach checked her watch for the time slowly pulling up to the building with 343 number painted in reflective yellow on the door. Pier 12 was deserted this evening since this part of the port had not been used in years. The dock in this area was beginning to disintegrate now and would need to be completely replaced if a company wanted to use it in the future.

Pulling to halt near the door, Hach wondered how long it would take Gibbs and his team to find the clues she left on the wall of the elevator and from gate security. It would be simple to decipher since she told the front gate she was going to get food at the docks. She was sure the others would catch on even if the security guard behaved as if he was a bit dense.

She turned off the motor and got out of the car. Locking the doors, she walked towards the front door seemingly left ajar. Hach sighed then took a deep breath, pulling out a flashlight from her coat pocket. It was usually left in a pocket somewhere for emergencies. Turning the top, the weak LED light went on illuminating the interior walkway. She entered the building, leaving the door ajar just as she found it.

She did not see the dark car pulling up behind her vehicle on the pier.

**Chapter Forty-Eight**

Hach found the walkway clearly labeled even in the dim light from the overhead skylights. The warehouse building was a maze of offices and compartmented spaces. If someone wanted to hide here, it was the perfect place to get lost.

It took a few minutes but the narrow hallway gave way to a well-lit room ahead.

Exiting, she found an almost cozy homestyle-type stead furnished and seemingly waiting for her. The center was a sofa two end tables and two chairs facing the sofa on a large Persian-type area rug. There was a simple kitchen in the far left corner. She did not see any type of restroom or bathroom but decided it was unimportant at this juncture. A makeshift bed, complete with a comforter set, was set up in the far corner to her right. There were stacks of old wooden crates stacked around the 'home' in the center.

She did a quick glance but found no one lingering anywhere visible. Moving forward into the center of the large open room, a former warehouse storage room, Hach checked the upper walkways and ballasted roof braces.

Checking her watch, she wondered what was taking Agent Gibbs, Tim, Ziva and DiNozzo so long in finding her. Sensing no one was here, she turned to find the man that attempted to attack her at Bresslin's café watching her from the hallway just she exited.

"Oh…" Hach realized she would rather spar with Agent Gibbs at the moment. "…dear."

There was a lusty glimmer in his eyes as he took a few steps towards her.

All she had to do was reach the maze of crate stacks before Nickson found her. Hach retreated the same number of steps realizing she felt no fear with this man. He was the least dangerous one compared to the man she expected to meet this evening.

**Chapter Forty-Nine**

Gibbs drove the NCIS Charger down the road at high speed towards the docks. They were within five minutes of reaching Pier 12 but it felt like it was taking forever to get anywhere. The accelerator was already on the floor. Tim and Tony was following close behind him. The call to mobilize the remainder of NCIS to the docks to help them would have already been made. He made DiNozzo responsible for the call to Leon Vance to inform him of their progress in the case.

She was sure they went airborne over that last hill. Her stomach felt like it left the atmosphere heading for the moon. Then they crashed back onto the road and speed towards the docks.

But Ziva sat silently beside Gibbs in the passenger seat, her SIG ready for their arrival. She held onto the handle above the door as he took a hard right turn. They would need to swarm the building quickly and exiting the vehicle without opposition was key to finding Hach dead or alive.

Gibbs knew why Hach left NCIS but it irritated him that somewhere along the way, she became, even temporarily, part of the team.

**Chapter Fifty**

Keeping her head clear of fear was the key to this game of cat and mouse. Hach lowered her breathing so it would not give per position away. He was certainly stealthy and could give Gibbs a run at the most-silent person in world title. But Gibbs coffee always gave him away. Just like Nickson's cologne gave him away. It was pungent and quite strong.

Nickson was within fifteen feet of her present location.

Damn he was fast but not nimble. Hach felt she had the upper hand now, climbing the stack of wooden crates softly. Since she was lighter weight, Hach could easily scale the crates to reach the upper walkways above the warehouse floor. However, Nickson appeared to be excited by this game and somehow she remembered Dr. Mallard explaining that someone like Nickson would 'view' this as 'foreplay'.

"Come out, Gwendolyn!" Nickson called over the crates then lowered his voice. "I'm going to find you!"

Hach crawled across the top of the crate when the entire stack suddenly gave way. Falling away from Nickson, she saw her opportunity to put some distance between them. As the crates toppled, Hach used the one at the bottom to launch herself airborne and took off running towards the hallway across the open room.

But the bastard was already there, anticipating her move to escape.

Nickson was trying to corner her but she felt overly confident she could take him. His eyes were wild with obsession and the determination to capture her would not yield until he did so. The cat-mouse game clearly aroused him. She skidded to a halt as she pondered what to do.

The gunshot from behind echoed in her ears as Nickson suddenly froze, his eyes wide, a hole in the center of his head. Then he toppled over backwards onto the floor spread-eagled. Hach relaxed her stance, turning towards the source of the gunshot expecting Tim McGee, Tony DiNozzo or Agent Gibbs to step out. Hach realized she was worse off than before as something moved in the shadows.

"Crap." She whispered.

She felt her eyes were wide as she realized Nickson and she were never actually alone. The figure moved out of the shadows into the light. The light bounced off his red-auburn hair. His pale, yet handsome features smiled almost pleasantly at her.

"Serial killers are always so…" He glanced over to where Nickson lay dead. "…simple minded."

"Reaper." Hach whispered then corrected herself. "William Shepard."

"Well, well, Dr. Hature." William looked from Nickson to Hach and explained in a pleasant medium voice. "It's a shame we had to meet under such circumstances. I respect your work at NCIS."

He moved towards her but she matched his steps backwards. This was going to take longer than he expected if she had any training. Though shocked to find him here, she was not without logic or the ability to outwit him. Gwendolyn was not stupid either. Still, he did have the upper hand.

"It was you who called me." Hach clicked the pieces into place since the lab explosion. "You allowed Nickson to follow me."

He noted the routes she had for escape and cut most of them off by walking towards the center of the warehouse storage room. "He was already following you." William smirked then shrugged lightly. "I just kept him informed."

Hach backed away realizing he was already positioning himself to intercept her. "Why?"

"Had to get you away from Agent Gibbs and his team." He took several steps forward. "No need to get them involved in our family reunion, is there?"

"We're not related." Hach frowned at the innuendo.

"Oh sis." He took several steps forward. "I married Gwen more than thirteen years ago. I used the name of William Cartier then. I had to maintain my cover while in the United States."

"Oh god." Everything they knew about the Reaper was wrong, she realized. "Gwen found out, didn't she?"

"Then she ran." William shook his head. "It took me years to track her down, try to convince her that it was just a job I was trained for since I was a boy." He paused shaking his head in disappointment. "But she didn't want to hear it. And she was so good at hiding. Once I found out you were looking for her too, I kept tabs on your progress. Eventually Perfecto figured out where she was."

"You're friends with Perfecto?" Hach needed to know.

What else did she not pick up on?

"No." William shook his head and checked his watch. "We're at war actually."

"War?" Hach could scarcely believe her ears. "So Perfecto did actually kill Gwen."

Part of her hoped it was the Reaper pretending to be Perfecto. That meant Gwen was never running from her all these years. All those years Hach felt abandoned Gwen did not want to be found by her. Yet, Gwen was running to stay hidden from her own husband, a hired mercenary who clearly liked his job. Why did Gwen not come to her for help sooner? She was in a position to aid her sister. Hach felt anger and rage at his audacity to play these games with her now. That Gwen was a pawn in a mercenary war.

"I sent the note to warn her." William shook his head. "The chess game we played all these years was fun. I tried to keep Gwen safe. But he's so persistent."

"Who is Perfecto?" Hach felt her voice starting to quiver.

"I can't tell you that." William knew the rules. "None of us can ever reveal the identity of another." He appeared aghast at the mere idea of revealing Perfecto's identity. "It's forbidden."

Hach glared at William Shepard. "Someone wanted Gwen dead."

He shook his head. "Part of the rules, I'm afraid. She was the last loose end. The only one who could identify me." He felt nostalgic for a moment. "The others were out for her, has been for a number of years." He paused. "Perfecto got to her first."

Hach found her genius failing her. "You sent Perfecto after Gwen?"

"You still don't see the bigger picture here, sis." William decided this little interlude needed to end soon. "Perfecto thought she was you. He doesn't know you have a twin sister." He whispered as he smiled. "And I never told him Gwen wasn't you."

Hach froze where she stood.

William Shepard backed up hearing the NCIS sirens pulling up and screeching to halt outside. He left since he got what he came for. The seeds were now planted.

**Chapter Fifty-One**

Tony and Tim entered the building first followed Gibbs with Ducky following close behind in case they had a body and or found Hach in bad shape. They followed the maze and found Nickson lying on his back, his eyes staring at the ceiling just outside the hallway leading into the warehouse storage room. Tim found Hach sitting against the wall, staring blankly at Nickson with no thought in her head.

"What happened?" Tony wanted to know.

Gibbs spoke softly entering the warehouse, walking towards Hach. "Shock."

The look in her eyes reminded him of that night in the agent's training room. Hach was never put in a position of having to defend herself before. This was the first major test of her emotional balance. And insanity was winning at the moment.

"She's certainly in shock." Ducky said upon entering the room.

"I'll get her." Gibbs informed Tim and Tony.

Both agents glanced at one another.

"Come on." Gibbs ordered softly. "He's dead now."

Hach heard the beeping noise but the others seemingly did not. She got to her feet as she realized why The Reaper wanted to lure NCIS to Pier 12, Building 343.

"The building's rigged!" Hach shouted for the others to head for the exit.

Gibbs looked to Ducky, Tim looked to Tony.

The explosion began in the far right corner of the building. Each charge began its slow creep towards the center of the warehouse. Every second, a new charge erupted in a burst of spark and flame. The ensuing blast began its slow motion dissection of the building. Gibbs shouted for everyone to hit the floor but he was unsure if anyone could hear him.

Hach ran towards Ducky, the nearest member of Gibbs' team. She had to tackle him just right to keep him below the blast level. She felt the heat at her back as her small legs pumped. Another burst erupted, blowing her off her feet. She flew above the floor and tackled Ducky.

Tony and Tim ran for the door leading to the hallway. Tim was ahead of Tony but he paused with his hand stretched back, his fingers eagerly waiting for physical conformation that DiNozzo was behind him. His fingers just made contact when Tony dived and brought Tim down by the legs as the last of the explosions went off around them.

**Chapter Fifty-Two**

Ziva was guiding the NCIS staff arriving at the Pier when the building exploded upward. Her mouth gaped open as the heat licked her face. She turned her face away only to lose her weapon in the process.

The violent explosion vibrated the ground such that Ziva lost her balance falling over near her dropped SIG. Her weapon hand dropped as she realized Gibbs, Tim, Tony, Ducky and Hach remained in the building. She shouted at the NCIS staff but no one heard her as they dived for cover behind vehicles and anything remotely stationary.

Debris flew everywhere, fires erupted amongst the wooden planks, the scent of burnt flesh and fabric permeated the air. Ziva sat watching the remnants of the building rain down over the pier. Wood pieces began to coat the waters.

Her eyes wide with shock at the sight that greeted her brought back the nightmare of meeting The Reaper the first time as Tony and she chased him through the alleys. The bastard did this on purpose. They were…

"Tony." She whispered. "Gibbs." Her body began to shiver. "Ducky." She lowered her head. "Tim." Then the tears started. "Hach."

Her hearing was gone.

Once the explosion was over, NCIS staff began to assess what needed to be done and to look for survivors. Ziva sat in shock, afraid to move, unable and unwilling to enable herself to take advantage of her training. Several NCIS agents moved in and lifted her out of the way.

**Chapter Fifty-Three**

Early the next morning, Leon Vance supervised the clean-up activities on Pier 12. The remnants of Building 343 were now scattered over a three-block radius and the waterfront. Things could have been worse.

There were six ambulances were arranged close together.

Tim McGee sat silently on a gurney as a female EMT stitched the gash over his left eye. He appeared in shock that he was still alive. His eyes were tear-stained since being found near the doorway to the hallway along with Tony DiNozzo.

Tony DiNozzo lay on the gurney next to him with a gash on his arm being bandaged by a male nurse, his other arm draped over his eyes. Perhaps he did not want to openly face the fact he barely survived another run-in with The Reaper. Either way, no one bothered to interfere with his behavior.

Ducky was worse for wear, his face suffering a few minor scrapes, his left NCIS field suit leg was ripped open from the knee down. A long gash was bleeding but clearly not fatal. He gave direction to the EMT cleaning up the blood from his leg. He was forced to lean back by two NCIS agents trying to coax him to relax and allow the EMT to do his job. Jimmy Palmer arrived at that moment with Ducky's hat. He immediately pushed his hand into Dr. Mallard's placing the hat on his head.

Hach suffered a few scrapes on her right arm from tackling Ducky to the floor before the explosion reached their part of the building. But for the most part, she was unscathed by debris or flames. It appeared everyone escaped the explosion despite how severe it appeared to outside observers.

Abby sat with Ziva, rocking her back and forth as she sobbed heavily into her shoulder. Though she suffered no physical wounds, a nurse occasionally checked in on them in case something else was the matter.

Vance sighed at the sight greeting his tired eyes.

Gibbs walked up beside Vance, his right knee bothering him. There were several small gashes above his right eye and his right arm in a sling was his souvenir given to him by The Reaper. Surprisingly, he survived behind the stack of wooden crates when the building explosives went off one at a time.

"Well?" Vance wanted to know.

"The explosives were to get our attention." Gibbs hated to admit that his team barely escaped another run-in with The Reaper. "They were aimed upward away from the floor. There was no intent on killing last night, Leon."

"Doesn't look like that from here." Vance disagreed with the current state of Pier 12. "Looks like he wanted you out of the game."

He shook his head. "He wants us in the game, sir." Gibbs wanted more than death for The Reaper at the moment. "What game that is, I don't know."

Leon turned to face Gibbs. "You almost lost your team last night, Gibbs."

He shook his head. "He knew we'd dive for cover no matter what." Gibbs hated to admit The Reaper knew his game. "The bastard planned everything from Nickson's escape to leading us towards finding the safety deposit box to setting the explosives to go off from one end of the building to the other aiming for the roof. He knew everything we discovered."

Leon did not know what to say to this. "So, what do we have to do now?"

"Pick up the crumbs as he leaves them behind." Gibbs knew one thing. "The Reaper has plans for NCIS."

"Are we going to live long enough to find out what that plan is?" Vance knew this depended on a number of things.

Gibbs could only guess.

THE END

_The next episode of NCIS will be in, at least, a couple of weeks._


	31. Episode 11: Mystery Beau Part 1

**NCIS Season 9**

**Episode 9.11.1**

**Mystery Beau**

**By: Lady JenDragon**

**Disclaimer: **NCIS belongs to…those CBS people.

**Author's Notes: **This story created itself…I I needed more of a break than I thought. I wanted to make sure I captured the right essence with this episode! And my fingers feel better now that they got some serious rest.

* * *

**MYSTERY BEAU**

**PART ONE**

**Chapter One**

James Mackleroy, an accomplished corporate accountant by the age of forty-five, walked through the wilderness with his son, Sylvester, aka Sly, who just turned sixteen. His youngest followed behind him on their annual father-son camping trip. Though the father believed he was doing well by spending time with his son it was his son who appeared bored from spending the weekend out in the middle of nowhere. They passed below the bluff along the moderately wide Rock River heading towards the campground since they were done fishing for the day. It was bright and sunny with no clouds in the sky.

"Dad!" Sly Mackleroy called out. "Can't we go into town tonight?"

"What?" James Mackleroy replied, surprised by the request. "We've got three days of sunshine heading our way! Why miss out on all this time with nature?"

Sly paused at that, begrudgingly gripping his gear. "Yeah, all the mosquito's, ticks, fleas, and chiggers a boy could ever want all in one place." He sighed deeply. "Great." He dropped the case with the tackle and worms to slap his arm where a mosquito landed then punctured the skin. He began a serious effort of scratching his arms and neck. His skin turned red from the effort and then he paused to take a deep breath.

"Ah!" Sly smiled weakly but in great relief. "Better."

"Come on, Sly!" His father called out.

James thought he heard something unusual and stopped to turn back towards his son who was no longer behind him. He knew Sly was having issues with his technology not working here. However, they both vowed to make the effort to have no technology on this weekend. It was better to back track and find him. In moments he found Sly at the river's edge wiping water all over him face and torso. Sly felt hot and decided to take a moment to cool off. His skin appeared all red from fast scratching.

"Scratching or hot?" James inquired.

"Both." Sly splashed some water towards his father.

Both laughed as the elder avoided the minor water, both suddenly stopped. They heard the rumble off in the distance but it sounded far too close to be ignored. Both man and boy tried to assess the noise.

"That's way too close for comfort, Dad." Sly responded.

"Nah!" James decided it was nothing.

The rumbling continued as branches could be heard snapping and the forest began a forward lean towards the river's edge. The river cliff could not have been more than sixty feet tall but now it felt like it was walking towards them. The sand gave way under pressure. Then the trees began to break falling towards them as something large snapped and the rumbling grew louder.

Sly ran past his father the discarded equipment forgotten. "Landslide!"

James dropped his gear and ran as fast as he could behind his son. They dodged a few slender trees but had to dive out of danger as a sliver of sand ladened with trees and brush past them sliding into the river.

Once out of danger's way, the pair waited for further movement. Sly glanced at his father lying beside him.

"Let's go look!" Sly left his dad and headed back towards the river knowing they spent a lot of money on the equipment though he hated fishing.

James reached the location of where they dropped their equipment. "Darn!" He threw his hands up seeing that everything they brought was absolutely gone.

Sly tried to appear saddened but he knew that meant no more fishing for the weekend. There was some slight shifting around them but neither felt they were in any more danger. Suddenly something gray fell from the sky nearly hitting Sly on the head. He ducked out of the way then frowned noting something familiar about what fell. His father watched him go in search of the UFO. Sly reached down into the heap of fallen bushes and pulled out…dog-tags.

He read the tags then looked up towards where the landslide fell away from the cliff. Sly tapped his dad on the arm and pointed towards the cliff. James huffed and turned towards the cliff looking high above the river. His eyes widened and the shock of the sight that greeted him startled him enough to step back falling over a broken tree trunk.

High above the river and in the large root system of an Oak tree partially uncovered in the landslide was a…

Black coffin.

**Chapter Two**

Gibbs stood at the bottom of the conference table closest to the door. On his left sat Ducky, Jimmy Palmer then Ziva David leading up to Vance standing at the opposite end of the table from him. On his right sat Tony DiNozzo across from Ziva, Abby Sciuto across from Palmer and Tim McGee across from Ducky. This was not a meeting to congratulate one another on surviving their latest run-in with The Reaper.

"The mandatory week off was a means for you all to get your heads in order." Vance made his presence known when he wanted to make a point. "These last few weeks have been hard on all of you." He paused to look around the conference table. "If you need more time to get your heads back in order, I suggest you take it now." He paused finding no one openly wanting to admit they needed more time off. "You've been through a lot lately. First with The Reaper then the escape of serial killer Ryan Nickson and now Perfecto's banging on our door."

He took the time to look at Abby Sciuto who suddenly got self-conscious. Gibbs sighed to get Vane's attention and to remove his focus on Abby. Miss Sciuto cowered in her seat, her shoulders lowering as she hung her head down. He knew Gibbs would want her protected at any cost. The only person who was not here for the meeting was the latest temporary addition to the team, Dr. Guinevere Hature.

"There's no time for vigilantes and Monday morning cowboys here." Vance switched his eyes to Agent DiNozzo. "You think you have a reason to get some payback. Don't even think about it. The Reaper and Perfecto are just the beginning. What we're dealing with is larger than any of us realize."

Tony lifted his chin to Vance and asked solemnly. "What are we dealing with, sir?"

"Mercenary war." Vance decided to keep things simple. "The Reaper told Hach prior to your arrival at Pier 12 he was at war with Perfecto." The looks exchanged across the table told him Hach only reported her conversation with The Reaper to him. "The reason Perfecto went after Gwendolyn Stillman, Hach's twin sister. Perfecto knew Reaper and Gwendolyn were married though separated at the time of her death."

"Where's Dr. Hature now?" Gibbs noted the missing doctor just before the meeting started.

"In the middle of rebuilding her lab at Norfolk." Vance noted the narrowing of Gibbs' eyes. "The structural engineers arrived yesterday to determine if the building can be saved or if it has to be knocked down before we move forward."

Tim was the only one who seemed to understand the magnitude of the damage done to the Forensics Lab building by The Reaper's explosives. His face contorted into a moderate scowl. However, they knew The Reaper never openly confessed to destroying the lab in the first place.

"I don't care what you think you know." Vance needed to keep Gibbs' team focused until they could find out if The Reaper and Perfecto were the only two mercenaries involved. "Our main goal is to find and capture Reaper and Perfecto without losing any more people and property."

"Our orders?" Ziva wanted clarification.

Vance took a long look at Ziva. "Locate and capture." He noted the glimmer in her eye. "Shoot to kill only if you come under attack and it's your absolute last resort." He glanced around the table quickly. "And I do mean 'absolute' last resort. Anyone shoots a suspect without clear motive of self defense will under go a thorough investigation and will be placed on a two-year probation regardless of the results of said investigation. With the possibility of dismissal if their actions are deemed retaliatory."

Ziva looked directly across the table at Tony, he dropped his shoulders slightly just as she did. However, Tony did not appear content with letting anything go at the moment. His eyes flared with a range of emotions that described his current train of thought. Tony DiNozzo took The Reaper's attacks personally. He wanted some pay back but not at the expense of his job. That might change later depending on the circumstances. Ziva hoped Tony would bring his anger under control before he lost control.

Vance noted the expressions around the table. "Am I understood?"

Everyone nodded and replied 'yes' in their own way.

Vance paused to look at each member of Gibbs' team. He noted the glimmer in Gibbs' eyes then looked to Agent DiNozzo. He would need to watch how the senior field agent behaved in the coming weeks. He did not need someone to tell him how to read the younger man.

"Dismissed." Vance watched as each person stood up and began the slow trickle towards the door.

Gibbs would be the last one out of his office. That was to be expected. Gibbs and his team would need to be at their absolute best in the coming weeks. The last week certainly took a toll on his best agent's team. Vance was willing to cut them a little slack.

**Chapter Three**

Ziva David walked out of Vance's office flanked by Tim McGee and Tony DiNozzo. They were all still disseminating the clear orders from the Director to avoid confrontation with The Reaper and Perfecto until they could determine what their 'war' entailed. The words did not need to be said out loud.

But Tony had to get it off his chest. "I don't care what Vance says. I get a clear shot." He lowered his voice. "I'm taking it."

Ziva nodded. "Me too."

Tim frowned unsure what he would do. Of the three, he did not share the taste of revenge. Yeah, the explosion was designed towards the roof of building 343 on Pier 12. But the first blast The Reaper used put both Ziva and Tony in the hospital for more than a week plus mandatory off time afterwards. They had more to lose the second time than he did.

Abby walked arm in arm with Ducky, both in silence over their meeting with Director Vance. Jimmy Palmer walked behind them wondering why he was called into the meeting when he had nothing to do with either mercenary. Still, the gloomy mood around the office lately was a bit overwhelming. He needed things to get back to normal.

Gibbs and his team were taking their time getting back into their routine.

**Chapter Four**

Gibbs watched Vance across the conference table from him. The director had not moved since his team left. They were a mess psychologically from recent events. Gibbs knew he needed to talk to Ducky as soon as he left.

He leaned on the table. "You really think two-year probation's going to stop my team from putting a bullet in either The Reaper or Perfecto?"

Vance knew he would get opposition from Gibbs. "It'll make them think twice before they pull the trigger."

"Ziva and Tony almost died on their first encounter with The Reaper." Gibbs knew Vance had an angle and refused to let him in on the mission. "Now Perfecto's come into the picture. One gets the other."

"I know how you feel, Gibbs." Vance knew to keep his best agent the least involved. "But my hands are tied on this one. The higher ups don't want me to set you loose on The Reaper and Perfecto just yet. They want a lot of answers to questions I don't have." He paused on purpose. "And I don't know where to start looking for them either."

He could read between the lines. "Where does Hach fit in all of this?"

Vance smirked. "She's more dangerous now that The Reaper knows she's here." Vance remembered her coming to his house to inform him of what transpired between The Reaper and her prior to Gibbs' arrival at the pier. "It's best she stays out of the way."

"That's a bunch of bull, Leon!" He knew Leon was hiding something from him. "She's out looking for The Reaper and Perfecto, isn't she?"

"No." Vance shook his head. "She's at Norfolk right now trying to put her lab back together again. Unless you forgot about that part already." He frowned slightly. "I'm not lying to you, Gibbs. I have to play this one straight for the time being." He sighed. "No matter how much it pains me."

"And my team?" Gibbs knew something was coming regarding his team.

That was another subject they needed to discuss. "I was going to break up your team earlier this year." Vance knew this was the longest congregated team Gibbs headed since taking over the MCRT. "But since The Reaper showed up, it's only proven to me why you need your team, Gibbs. Not even the SecNav can say otherwise. We're going to need all of you at a 100% on this."

Gibbs phone beeped but he paid no attention. Vance waited hoping for an intermission. Gibbs phone beeped again. Irritated, he pulled out the phone and glanced at the number. He merely rolled his eyes and slid the phone back into his pocket.

Vance continued. "That means I need your team to lay low until you've healed well enough to handle another shot at both The Reaper and Perfecto." Vance sighed.

Just what he wanted to hear, Gibbs smiled inwardly.

"Yes, sir." Gibbs turned towards the open door and closed it shut behind him.

Vance took a few extra moments to contemplate Gibbs' intent. Then he smirked knowing if Gibbs was allowed in on the house secret, he might just take it farther than the SecNav wanted. And he knew Gibbs would probably succeed whereas the current plan, he thought, did not have a cold chance in hell of working from where he stood. Leon shook his head in the end knowing something was coming to a disastrous conclusion soon.

"I can only pray NCIS isn't involved." He spoke softly to himself.

**Chapter Five**

There was no cheerful bantering this morning among the Gibbs' Den of the Squad Room. Only solemn silence to comfort an ailing team having just survived a secondary explosion in as many weeks compliments of The Reaper. Damn, that name was beginning to irritate the entire team from Ducky all the way to Gibbs.

No one attempted to make light of the second attack that some believed was a wake up call that The Reaper was trying to lure NCIS into a trap. Just this past week, it seemed everyone around the Navy Yard shared the opinion that The Reaper took a liking to someone at NCIS. However, who that person was, remained unidentified.

Tony stared at his computer without seeing it. Tim and Ziva shared his opinion since neither of them attempted to hide their dissatisfaction since the meeting with the Director this morning. They still felt the effects from the latest explosion few thought anyone would survive. Rumors were flying around the office that Gibbs' team was marked for death.

Suddenly the papers on Tony's desk went flying.

"This isn't us." Tony said finally.

Tim and Ziva looked up and towards him.

"We don't get down when the going gets tough!" He stood up suddenly. "Cause when the going gets tough!" He began to collect his field bag, SIG, and ID. "The tough get going!" He faked a smile and failed miserably. "Body, boss?"

Gibbs nodded striding past McGee. "Yeah."

He stopped by his desk and grabbed something off the desktop but what it was, no one bothered to see. Tim and Ziva got their field bags but seemed a bit ached this morning getting things together for the crime scene visit. Pausing to note the team taking a little longer to gather their things together, Gibbs decided it would be best to keep things as 'normal' as possible around the office.

His frown deepened. "'Let's move!"

And his team moved faster. His team barely made the elevator behind him. Gibbs felt this was going to a long day just trying to get his team back into anything resembling 'routine'. The mandatory week off following their discharge from the hospital gave everyone time to think and mull things over.

**Chapter Six**

Tim and Ziva walked gingerly towards the river with their equipment. Since they were almost blown up by The Reaper, they were expected to take on light duties and their job was not made any easier by the current terrain they had to traverse. The trail was almost hidden sometimes along the river since it recently flooded and there were some soft patches. Some additional NCIS staff was assigned to carry the heavier equipment on ahead for them. Surprisingly, Tony remained behind at the truck collecting sample jars while he tried to remove the chip on his shoulder.

"You think Tony's feeling okay?" Tim inquired.

Ziva knew how she felt. "What do you mean?"

"You think being almost blown up twice would make him think twice about returning to work so soon." Tim appeared concerned. "He wasn't exactly healed from the first explosion when we got hit with the second one."

"Tony'll be fine." Ziva knew Tony was not okay then added softly personally unconvinced by DiNozzo's recent macho attitude that he was 'fine' since they returned to duty. "I hope."

Tim muttered nearly tripping over a tree root. "Damn trees!"

Ziva shook her head feeling his frustration and agitation. "What's the matter, McGee?" She smiled. "Don't spend much time with nature?"

"I prefer civilization, Ziva." Tim sighed heavily. "There's nothing wrong with that."

Ziva smiled then.

It felt good to smile but then she found her feet sinking into the soft sand. Tony passed by with the sample jars then and stopped to help her through the sand by taking her hand. She felt slightly ashamed she required aid but given their latest circumstances, sometimes help, was needed. Once they were across the soft patch, Tony let her hand go and continued on his way as if he had not stopped to bother.

Ziva paused to consider the action.

Tim stopped behind her also having witnessed the 'Tony' event. "What's wrong?"

"He's never done that before." It certainly took her by surprise. "Tony doesn't act like that normally." Ziva hesitated. "I'm just a bit shocked."

Ziva narrowed her eyes at Tony's back trying to figure out his angle.

"It's a Tony thing." Tim walked around her. "Almost getting blown up twice does that to you."

Ziva hesitated then decided to follow Tim before Gibbs started asking questions why they were dawdling and not doing their jobs. But then even Gibbs was on edge lately. Their fearless leader was more agitated since the explosion that nearly cost the MCRT most of their members.

**Chapter Seven**

Gibbs stood looking up at the black coffin unsure what the next step was currently. Ducky stood with Jimmy Palmer at the base of the cliff, his hands on his hips pondering the current dilemma of which route to take up to the black coffin.

"Oh, wow." Palmer was nearly breathless. "This is a first."

"First for me as well, Mr. Palmer." He glanced over at Jimmy. "Now that is astonishing. Reminds me of the Bo People of China."

"You know, Doctor Mallard." He smiled. "I was just thinking the same thing! Did you know the Bo People existed astride the borders of modern day Sichuan and Yunnan Provinces? They are said to have helped the Western Zhou to overthrow the ruling Yin at the end of the Shang Dynasty around 1600-1100 BC."

"Indeed, Mr. Palmer." Ducky continued then. "The Bo people of the Gongxian County of Sichuan Province, China are still considered master climbers to this day. There's about a 100 coffins clustered around Matangba and Sumawan along the 5,000-meter Bochuangou. A survey puts the total count at 280 hanging coffins. The earliest was dated in the Three Gorges area around 2,500-years ago to the Spring and Autumn period, roughly 770-476 B.C. The most recent coffin date back around 400-years which puts it in the middle/late period of the Ming Dynasty."

Jimmy looked to Gibbs who stared blankly at Ducky. "The Bo people placed their dead in black coffins on the sides of cliffs along the rivers. They hung them at least 22.8-feet above the ground." He only paused to remember a detail despite the 'blank' expression on Gibbs' face. "Though the tallest one was found 296-feet above the ground before. Some believed that it was to keep invaders from looting the coffins. For years people wondered how they managed to get them up there since the stairs or ladders they might have used were removed after the coffins were placed there."

"So go get a ladder and get up there then, Jimbo!" Gibbs said irritated and pointed towards the coffin that he was kept from processing.

Jimmy realized that the older agent was just upset by the morning meeting so he nervously moved away from Agent Gibbs. Ducky turned and gave Jethro his version of a glare that made Gibbs sigh deeply. There was nothing else to do so Gibbs rolled his eyes and just listened.

Ducky took over since Jimmy went silent. "Yes, Mr. Palmer. Quite a feat indeed. My friend, Charles Wilson, worked alongside Dr. Quincy Montgomery and the curator for the Yingshi Museum for years trying to decipher the meaning behind why the Bo People placed their dead along the river cliffs and how best to preserve them. He recently completed a third restoration project to keep the Bo People's legacy intact. Quite a mess of red tape with the government to let foreigners in for a closer look prior to 1974 when the first project was conducted." He glanced around then checked his watch.

Palmer added. "A second restoration project was completed in 1985."

Gibbs looked up at the helicopter that suddenly arrived above the river cliff with a cable hung below the fuselage with four hooks and chains to lift the coffin off its elevated root ledge. Several NCIS staff, clearly comfortable on the sides of cliffs, waited for the helicopter to lower the chains and hooks to their position.

Jimmy walked up to Ducky. "Did you know there are three types of hanging coffins?" He watched as the coffin was hoisted off its perch. "The first is the Cantilevered type, like this one."

Ducky smirked. "And some are in caves and yet others sit out on projections in rock. It's a shame the Bo People disappeared completely." He sighed as the coffin was moved off where a waiting flatbed truck was waiting to cart it off to the Naval Yard. "Much like the Mayans, I'm afraid."

Gibbs could only silently pray for patience.

"I'll let you know more once I get our mystery Bo back to Autopsy."

Ducky and Palmer began their task of returning to the vehicle since the helicopter was almost gone over the trees. There was nothing here for them anymore. The body would be processed back at Autopsy. Gibbs and his team would remain to collect any evidence that was left behind.

**Chapter Eight**

Tony and Ziva scoured the top of the cliff for any evidence that could lead them to finding out how the coffin was buried prior to the landslide that literally unearthed it. Neither was particularly in the mood to snipe at one another. Still, they were a team and a team stood together. Tony could no longer handle the silence the other two maintained easily.

"I bet the wife did it." Tony walked between Tim and Ziva in a line.

If the body were buried for a long time, they would find nothing left by the killer out here. He was not concentrating on the new case at all. He was off his game and he felt the thoughts of the past week taking over making it difficult to concentrate on anything but The Reaper. He had to get back to his routine.

Tim sighed rolling his eyes. "You don't know that yet, Tony."

Tony looked over at the junior agent. "It's always the wife, McSingle!" It lacked the usual Tony tone prior to The Reaper. He squinted at the bushes ahead of him. "No matter which way you slice it, the wife is always involved. Men just don't have a chance."

Ziva smirked and went along with Tony's attempt to put some humor back in their day. "Not with you as their ring leader."

Tony lost his amusement to glare at Ziva and ran into a prickle bush as a result.

Tim and Ziva both burst out laughing.

Tony began a quiet slur of insults at the bush that involved taking the next few minutes to untangle himself from nature. He hopped around in a circle to work off the pain from the thorns that went through his trousers. Suddenly he stopped spotting something shiny on the floor. A smile crept on his face as if suddenly got the winning lottery ticket. Pulling out a silver pen, he reached down and picked up a cellphone on a circular key ring. Tony hoisted it up for the other two to see.

"Gotcha." Tony smiled.

**Chapter Nine**

Abby sat at her computer with her chin in her hands waiting for the evidence to process. Since Perfecto appeared in DC and seemingly left days ago, she was at the Naval Yard just waiting for more evidence to come in. She hated that someone had to die because Perfecto was paid to kill them. She sighed deeply when Tony walked in through the glass enclosure then into her lab with a box of evidence from the field.

"What's wrong, Abs?" He set the box down on her evidence table.

Wearing a black t-shirt, pleated red plaid skirt with knee-high fishnet stockings, and shiny black platforms shoes, she bounced off her chair. Her hair was in the usual pigtails since evidence was to be handled. Abby would never taint evidence on purpose even if she wanted to. Abby Sciuto was too honest that way. One of her traits Tony admired.

"I just hate waiting." Abby wanted everything back to normal. "Everyone's been close to dying lately." She shook her head. "It feels surreal, you know?"

Tony nodded then moved and hugged her. "We're still here, Abs." He smirked. "I ain't going anywhere. Not until The Reaper's dead and on Ducky's slab."

Abby paused tearing herself away from DiNozzo. "Wow…that's deep, Tony." But she understood why. "Even for you."

Tony was serious. "He tried to blow me up twice." He hated the recovery periods he was forced to endure as a result. "I draw the line at once."

Abby felt a little better that her Gibbs-mates were still around. "What have you brought me today?"

Tony glanced at the evidence box. "Not much." He shrugged then replied as if he just came back with the shopping. "Timmy found some tire tracks. I found a cellphone and Ziva found some light-brown or dark blonde hairs."

"Awe!" Abby began shifting through the evidence bags. "At least I won't be sitting here all by myself anymore."

"Is Hach even coming back?" Tony wondered.

"Yes. I miss her too." Abby sighed heavily. "It's nice having someone in the lab who doesn't want to kill me. She 's so handy too." She paused. "Do you know Hach has never played hopscotch?"

Tony froze at the reveal confused as to its importance but then relented since considering the source. "Ah…the horror of it all."

"I know!" Abby rolled her eyes. "Who hasn't played hopscotch? She was in college at like age seven." She paused. "I can't imagine being anywhere near college when I was seven." Abby gulped then her eyes widened. "I wonder if she knows how to ride a bicycle?"

"So…" Tony smirked. "You going to teach the Little Doc how to play hopscotch?"

Abby froze this time. "Why didn't I think of that, Tony?"

Tony patted her on the shoulder.

"Go!" Abby ordered concentrating on processing the current chain-of-custody evidence. "Let's get this done so we focus on The Reaper and his little rival Perfecto!"

"Leaving." Tony back towards the glass enclosure and the door. "Let me know when Sciuto's Guide to Catching Psycho Killers hits bookstores."

Abby raised her fisted hand and extended index finger towards the ceiling. "It'll be a best seller!"

Tony was fine with leaving Abby Sciuto with her expertise.

In the hall, Tony stopped waiting for the elevator. NCIS' happiest dark angel wanted some pay back too. Having her team's life hanging in the balance brought out Abby's true colors. Now she wanted to make sure the coffin was nailed shut when they finally brought down The Reaper and Perfecto.

However, Fornell and the FBI were hot after Perfecto the last two years and came close only once. Twice since Abby joined the FBI forensic team. Between him and the elevator, NCIS would win because of Abby Sciuto. She would find The Reaper and Perfecto first. Tony was willing to place a bet on that.

He added softly as the elevator 'dinged' its arrival. "I'm counting on you, Abs."

**Chapter Ten**

With a fresh coffee in hand, Gibbs strode into Autopsy hoping he would have something to go on shortly. Right now his team was chasing down leads on The Reaper. And the FBI was keeping tight-lipped about Perfecto. Leon was having issues trying to get any cooperation with the Feds or the CIA. How the CIA got involved was unknown at the moment. NCIS brass knew something about The Reaper he did not and it angered him he was left out of the loop once again.

Gibbs walked up to where the remains of the victim were laid out on the examination table in the center of the three. Their last case cleared out, Autopsy was a desolate place lately since they survived the explosion. The remains were mostly intact with the minor exception of bug activity.

"Duck?" Gibbs looked up when Palmer returned from running an errand.

"Our friend's been dead for about three weeks." Duck looked up from the head area to look at Jethro. "There's enough obvious bug activity to make such an educated guess at this juncture. However, Abby will be able to confirm once she gets all the bugs together to verify the TOD."

Palmer added. "The coffin wasn't properly sealed before it was buried."

"Probably a cheap wooden Halloween decoration." Ducky appeared focused on his task. "I might start looking at recently stolen coffins. I sent the coffin to Abigail just a few minutes ago."

Gibbs nodded. "Anything else?"

"Not yet." Ducky said from a bent position. "I've only begun my official examination. She's running prints and DNA to identify our friend here." He stood up straight and met Jethro's eyes. "I suggest you talk to her."

Gibbs frowned unsure what he meant.

Ducky added as if Gibbs asked a question. "She's been rather uptight since we survived 'The Reaper's' explosion." He shook his head. "I've never seen her distraught like this before, Jethro. It's almost unbearable to watch. She's preparing a presentation about Perfecto but she seems overly down since Dr. Hature's been in Norfolk." Somehow Gibbs appeared to ignore his obvious silent instruction. "Abby isn't like the rest of us, Jethro."

Gibbs sighed then nodded. "I'll talk to her, Duck."

Ducky knew what that meant and sighed slightly relieved.

**Chapter Eleven**

Abby stood at her workstation tapping her keyboard without enthusiasm. She sighed as the two windows on screen flashed through AFIS looking for a DNA and fingerprint match. Gibbs arrived in the lab and paused just inside the glass enclosure. But Abby paid him no attention.

He stood for a moment realizing she did not seem to sense him there nor seemed to care. He took a drink of his coffee, glancing at the evidence table with the coffin on it, then walked up beside her and stood nearly touching her elbow.

"Hey, Gibbs." Her voice lacked her usual pep. "I…I don't have anything conclusive yet. Ducky's only sent up the coffin."

"You okay, Abs?"

Abby seemed to think about it, her eyes welling up. She took time for a long thought and suddenly she turned to Gibbs and hugged him tightly. Gibbs realized why she was an emotional wreck around the team following their return to work after the mandatory week off by Director Vance. She was the sensitive one.

"It's okay, Abs." He kissed the top. "We're not going anywhere."

Abby let out a few sobs but then realized the quick emotional outburst was all she needed. She pulled away to look up at Gibbs. Her eyes were red and puffy but there was hope there too.

"You almost died!" Abby's voice cracked. "All of you!" She sniffed then pulled completely away and began pacing. "Even Ducky this time! And when was the last time he got set up?" Abby was having trouble acclimatizing to the troubled 'feeling' around her NCIS home. "Home just doesn't feel like home anymore, Gibbs!" She felt like bursting. "I can't handle all of this…"

Gibbs walked forward and brought her against him in another hug. "Shsssssh!"

Abby sighed against him then asked quietly. "What would we do without you, Gibbs?" She paused. "What would I do without Tim, Tony, Ziva and Ducky?"

Her computer beeped then capturing both of their attention.

"Better?" Gibbs wanted to know.

"Yeah." Abby nodded leaving him to return to her workstation. "I'll just be happier when Hach gets back. It's nice not being here all alone sometimes."

Gibbs sighed. "Abs." It was best not to discuss the situation of Dr. Hature. "What have you got at the moment?"

"Our victim is…" Abby brought up the file with a few taps of her fingers. "Lieutenant Maxwell Beau, Navy." She frowned at the screen then her eyes widened. "Wow. Ducky was right. He is a Beau person."

Gibbs smirked. "I don't think he's related to the Bo People of China, Abs."

Abby blinked then shook her head back into focus. "Uh, right. Wrong Bo." She tapped away on the keyboard. "He's been recently assigned to the Office of Naval Affairs, Pentagon. Like a month ago, Gibbs."

Gibbs took a drink from his coffee.

"DNA confirms his identity." Abby wondered what she was going to do when Hach left when her lab opened in Norfolk. "Maxwell Beau was only at work a week when he went missing. There's no missing person's report filed on him." Abby shook her head.

Gibbs reasoned that Abby sent the info to McGee already and Tim would have more information by the time he arrived in the office. He moved forward and kissed Abby at the temple again. She loved hugs and kisses from her family.

"Thanks." He smirked. "Positive thoughts, Abs."

Abby nodded as he left her though she appeared ready to burst into tears any second.

**Chapter Twelve**

Ziva and Tony worked silently at their desks trying to uncover something about their latest victim. Tim seemed to feel Gibbs approaching and got his thoughts in order when Gibbs suddenly strode into the office towards his desk. Standing behind his chair, Gibbs seemingly appeared deep in thought then turned to the boss. He had the remote for the plasma in hand.

"Talk to me." Gibbs went to his desk to find something to write with.

Tony and Ziva both jumped out of their chairs ready to offer the fruits of their efforts but it was Tim who got to talk first.

"Lt. Beau hasn't been listed as missing yet." Tim brought up the plasma with a copy of the police report in a window. "According to his new job, he's at a month-long survivor camp at a place called, remarkably, 'Survival Camp'. Apparently, he takes this trip every year for the past five years. When he took the Pentagon job, one of the conditions for employment was this trip and he made it clear he didn't want to miss it."

"How long ago did he leave for his survivor camp?" Gibbs paused waiting for a minute.

Tim checked the email he received from Beau's CO. "Three weeks."

"He's not due back for another week." Tony nodded. "Before anyone could report him missing."

Gibbs glanced at DiNozzo. "Wife, friends."

Tony turned back towards his desk. "On it, boss!"

Ziva got her field belongings together assuming they would be going together.

TO BE CONTINUED…


	32. Episode 11: Mystery Beau Part 2

**NCIS Season 9**

**Episode 9.11.2**

**Mystery Beau**

**By: Lady JenDragon**

**Disclaimer: **NCIS belongs to…those CBS people.

**Author's Notes: **And NCIS got some good ideas lately. Whew! I'm happy the writers started the whole Gibbs-letting-Shannon-go thing. It's only it the baby stages but it is a start! I was getting worried it would never happen. Now I don't have to do this myself! Yay!

* * *

**MYSTERY BEAU**

**PART TWO**

**Chapter Thirteen**

Max Beau lived in a single-family home on the base that resembled all the others on the street. The living room was barely furnished with more than a long second-hand sofa, two end tables on either side of the sofa and a discarded green chair forming an L-shape. A sofa table along the far wall contained a phone and a vase of flowers.

Tony and Ziva sat with Margaret Beau, Margie, the wife of Maxwell Beau. Her brown hair hung around her face currently hidden in a tissue as tears flowed out of her eyes and down her cheeks. She wore a floral dress with white socks since she spent most of her time at home since losing her job recently. The sobs lessened as the news sunk in while the NCIS agents waited patiently for the woman to pull herself together to talk. Brown eyes lifted to Tony and Ziva.

Margie stifled a sob to ask. "Are you sure it's, Max?"

Ziva noted. "Yes, ma'am."

"He was found in a coffin." Tony watched the woman cry into her hands. "After a landslide along the river bank unearthed it. Caught the attention of a father and son fishing."

Margie tried to keep her vice steady but failed. "Di…how did…Max die?"

"We don't know that yet." Ziva knew Tony already thought the woman was guilty. "We're trying to track down his last whereabouts." She paused as the wife nodded. "When did you last talk to him?"

"He…he called me at work from the house." Margie pointed towards the house phone across the room. "He was taking off with James Cronig and Mark Sawell, his friends going with him. Most of the time he uses his cell when he calls me. But this time he used the house phone to call. I thought that was weird." She refrained from shedding more tears to speak. "Max loved those survival camp things. He thought if the world ended, he'd be prepared for it."

"Mrs. Beau." Tony wanted some info. "The time of your husbands departure for the survival camp would've been just after Halloween. Did you have a coffin set up as decoration?"

Margie frowned then looked at him. "Yes. It was a cheaply made coffin made out of plywood that Max painted black. Max always set it by the end of the garage, left side by the light fixture." She suddenly appeared alarmed. "You said he was found in a coffin?"

Tony nodded. "We're trying to determine where the coffin came from."

Margie got to her feet, new tears forming in her eyes but she had a mission to aid the NCIS agents. "The garage has all the decorations for the holidays; Halloween, Christmas. Those are the only two holidays Max really bothered with lawn décor."

Outside, Tony and Ziva stood in the opening of the garage since Mrs. Beau opened the door. They peered at the decoration boxes stacked neatly in the far corner.

"You didn't question that the decorations were removed?" Ziva eyed the neatly organized garage.

Margie shook her head. "No. We have the landscaper take the decorations down when Max is away from the house." She shrugged. "I feel safer knowing someone else hauled them down. I'm in no condition to be moving heavy things all over the place." She smiled quickly then it faded. "Max sure loved his holidays."

Ziva moved towards the stack to double check the coffin was missing. She took a quick inventory of the other decorations kept in the clear plastic containers. The garage held stacks of five containers and six long down the back end along the wall.

Tony moved towards the last known location of the coffin. He glanced around the corner of the garage where the wire for holding the coffin up on one end. There appeared to be pieces of torn plywood layers stuck in the wire. The wire appeared to be broken, not untied for someone to remove a decoration.

Ziva came out of the garage and stood next to him. "No coffin among the decorations."

Tony glanced behind Ziva. "Looks like we found where the coffin came from."

He glanced across the front lawn and down the driveway. Where he stood he could see the neighbors across the street clearly. The medium trees in the front yards were left to grow naturally and blocked some view of the garage door. Still, someone might have seen something if they were home. They would have to canvas the neighborhood too.

Ziva sighed and said softly. "Now we just have to find his friends."

**Chapter Fourteen**

McGee tried the 'Survival Camp' office for the hundredth time leaving another message for someone to return his call ASAP. Replacing the receiver, he sighed at another block in the investigation. Tony and Ziva were off to find James Conig and Mark Sawell, the friends of Max Beau, who appeared to have backed out of going to the survival camp at the last moment.

"McGee." Gibbs walked into the Squad Room with a new coffee in hand from the direction of the elevator.

"Nothing on the Survivor Camp." Tim stood up from his desk and circled around it. "I checked all of his emails both personal and work. He wasn't at his job long enough to have a long trail to follow. He came from the USS Enterprise under the Command of Captain Wilson Boydd." Tim brought up Max Beau's service record on the large plasma. "Captain Boydd practically revered the Lieutenant according to our conversation."

"He was a good soldier then."

"More than good it seems." Tim felt a little creeped out by Max Beau. "All of those I could find who knew him had nothing but good things to say about Lt. Max Beau."

"Then why did he end up in a coffin out in the middle of nowhere, McGee?"

**Chapter Fifteen**

Sargeant James Cronig sat with Lt. Mark Sawell across the conference room table from Gibbs and Tim McGee. They were roughly the same size and build in their military uniforms. James Cronig had dark hair with green eyes while Mark Sawell had blonde hair with blue eyes. Gibbs noted both men were relaxed but alert.

"How did Max die, Agent Gibbs?" James inquired with mixed emotions.

Mark Sawell appeared in disbelief and said nothing.

"We're still investigating." Gibbs replied. "The two of you were supposed to go on this survival trip with Max?"

Sawell nodded. "Yes. We were both disappointed we couldn't make it at the last minute. James and I were scheduled at the last minute for additional training which overruled our time off."

James shook his head. "This isn't the first time Max went to one of these things by himself if one of us couldn't make it. One thing he hated was wasting time while waiting for other people." He smirked. "Was the reason why Margie and he almost didn't get married."

Tim was unmoved. "Did you see Max before he left for his trip?"

James looked directly at Tim. "No. We talked over the phone almost every day." He paused to recollect his memories. "I talked to him about two hours before he was supposed to leave. He was going to drive out to the survival camp in western Virginia."

"Margie was concerned he was alone." Mark added. "She hated him going anywhere alone. Max was the type of guy whom people didn't exactly warm up to him. Rubbed them the wrong way sometimes."

James quickly added. "But Max was a damn good soldier."

Tim knew the question had to be asked. "Do you know anyone who might've been angry at Max?" He paused. "Past friends, military personnel, co-workers?"

Mark and James looked at one another. They appeared stumped. Both were sifting through memories genuinely trying to recollect that matched Tim's question.

"No one could be mad at Max." Mark shrugged. "He was our best friend. I don't know anyone who had an issue with him."

James nodded. "I can't think of a single person who had a bad thing to say about Max either."

Gibbs sighed silently.

**Chapter Sixteen**

A short while later, Gibbs strolled into Autopsy hoping for something shortly. Thus far, all there was on Max Beau was a 'good soldier' and 'everyone loved him'. There was someone in the world that did not care for Lt. Maxwell Beau.

"Ah, Jethro." Ducky looked up from his desk. "How is Abigail doing?"

"Better now that she has something to focus on." Gibbs knew things were changing among his team. "She misses Dr. Hature."

Ducky smiled at the sentiment. "Being alone in the lab seems to be getting to Abby lately." He turned to Jethro walking up to him. "Can't say I blame her."

"Well." Gibbs knew better. "Since The Reaper came close to killing my team, yeah." He noted how Ducky responded. "She's stronger than you give her credit for, Duck."

Ducky left his thought unsaid regarding The Reaper. "Lt. Beau died from blunt force trauma to the right temple. A single blow with a circular diameter approximately three inches. Abby will have more for you."

"Ambush attack?"

Ducky nodded. "I'd think so." He looked over to the body on the center examination table. "Certainly has that feel to it due to the angle from which he was struck."

"Was he killed in the coffin?"

"I doubt it." Ducky sighed. "My examination of the coffin's interior, I found no accumulation of blood or bodily fluids. The coffin was used only as a means of disposal."

"Meaning?"

Ducky shrugged. "Might mean something to the killer." He paused. "Or it might have been the only thing available at the time. I've only begun writing my final report on the subject." He looked to Jethro. "And how are you faring?"

Gibbs only looked at him. "Fine."

"Are you?" Ducky wanted more. "Jethro. I know you're more experienced in matters of personally dealing with trauma. However, I'm sure you've noticed the lack of the usual enthusiasm among your team?"

Gibbs frowned. "They'll get over it once we find and take down The Reaper and Perfecto."

He had to press Jethro for more. "And in the meantime?" Ducky paused getting nothing from Jethro. "Your team is silently suffering."

"What do you want me to say, Duck?" Gibbs knew what Ducky wanted. "Vance already offered counseling."

"That's not what I meant." Ducky narrowed his eyes. "And you know it." He sighed then. "They need to know you know they're hurting. Tim, Tony, and Ziva aren't you, nor are the like you." A small smile touched his lips. "Though they do try to be."

Gibbs replied evenly. "They know where I stand." Then he headed towards the door to end the conversation and to keep it from going any further.

Ducky watched Jethro until the Autopsy doors closed after Gibbs.

"He's running again." Ducky shook his head.

**Chapter Seventeen**

Abby Sciuto stared intently at the computer screen wondering why someone would do something like that to another human. The coffin sat open on the table in the center of the room on the evidence table brought out when needed. The master mass spectrometer suddenly beeped and a new window opened popped open. At that moment, Gibbs strode into the Forensics Lab upon returning from finding fresh coffee.

"Gibbs." Abby glanced over her shoulder. "It's uncanny how you always come around when I've just discovered something."

Gibbs stopped beside her, his eyes on the screen.

"Our boy Max was into something suspicious." Abby looked intensely at the results in the small window. "Ducky found something clear, like a gel, on Max's skin between the shoulder blades and on his clothes in the same area. Mr. Mass Spec is just now starting to determine what it is."

"Is that it?"

"No." Abby smiled then stared at him suddenly alert. "Gosh you're impatient today." She paused and got nothing so she continued. "Anyway, there was a three-inch circular depression in Max Beau's right temporal. He was hit with something really hard."

"A bat?"

"No." Abby shook her head. "Whatever it was, it was solid. I mean the weapon was completely solid all the way through. Could be a wooden post or a metal peg."

"Any idea what it could be?"

"No idea." Abby tapped a few keys. "There was nothing imbedded in the wound so there was no way to ID the type of weapon at this moment. However, the way he was struck suggests that the person was shorter than him."

A flash on the plasma screen showed a minor demonstration of a male matching Max Beau's description. He was hit from the right side as if he was ambushed with something cylindrical. Someone was waiting for him but the scene of the crime was still unknown.

Gibbs stood watching the mock attack. "Where was he killed?"

"Not in the coffin." Abby turned towards the coffin. "Where ever Max Beau was killed, the coffin was used primarily as the means of hiding the crime. Nothing from exterior tells me where the coffin was at the time of the murder. Not even a fiber. I did find some blades of grass on one elbow, his right. I'm processing it now to find out where it came from."

"The cellphone?"

"It was left on until the battery ran out. The calls with his friends who were supposed to go on his survival camp vacation were the only ones so far." Abby shook her head. "Since he used the house phone to call his wife. Nothing else out of the ordinary but McGee's pulling the extended history anyway. The hairs Ziva found match one Zachary Macias. He's a Lieutenant on the Kennedy currently docked in Norfolk for a couple of weeks. Tony's tracking him down now. I'm still trying to match the treads they brought in. Could be an ATV or something small like that. I'll let you know when I get something more concrete."

"So, you got nothing?" Gibbs queried.

"I wouldn't say nothing." Abby protested then insisted. "I'll just have more later." Now for the reason she wanted Gibbs here. "You have to talk to them, Gibbs!" She placed her hands on her hips. "Tony, Tom, and Ziva. They're not right." Abby pressed her lips together and narrowed her eyes. "Even Ducky's off and Ducky's never off."

Gibbs could say nothing to deter her but he rolled his eyes. "Ducky ask you to confront me, Abs?"

She straightened insulted at the innuendo that Abby Sciuto needed guidance where her family was concerned. "I do not need Ducky to tell me there's something wrong at home, Gibbs!"

Gibbs took a step back. "Alright. Alright." He shook his head as he turned for the door.

Abby watched him through narrowed eyes and called out. "Don't think I won't check!"

All she heard was the ding of the elevator and smiled satisfied that Gibbs heard her.

**Chapter Eighteen**

Tim McGee eyed the screen with a suspicious glare. His facial expression caught the attention of Tony DiNozzo who seemed to be having little luck finding more information about Max Beau. Dissatisfied with his efforts, he focused on McGee.

"What is it, McCrack?"

"Well, according to his records, Max Beau previously worked at Magneto-Dyne Industries as a military liaison attaché prior to his promotion to the Pentagon."

"Sounds very X-Men-ish." Tony ran with his thought. "And Gibbs is our Professor X."

"I said he was a liaison, Tony." McGee rolled his eyes. "Not a mutant."

"And that means what, Timmy?" Tony looked at McGee sideways. "Or should I call you ArcHack?" He chuckled to himself. "You know…instead of ArcAngel?"

McGee sighed deeply wishing Tony had the chip on his shoulder again.

"It doesn't say what he did." Tim looked up to find Gibbs standing by the corner of Tony's desk but said nothing. "The employee list for Magneto-Dyne Industries only lists that he was a liaison officer but no description of his duties."

Tony narrowed his eyes. "Sounds very hush-hush." He paused then added. "Sounds very classified."

"They do a lot of secured computer programming." McGee had a difficult time cracking the files from NCIS to find out the purpose. "According to NCIS, Magneto-Dyne does a lot of the programming for the security systems for various departments here at the Yard. Could be he was killed if he knew something about a future break-in."

"How long was he a liaison for Magneto-Dyne?" Tony was already looking at the various angles.

"Six years." Tim made the point of not looking to Gibbs. "Then he willingly transfers to the Pentagon after a nice long run in a comfy position with a billion-dollar company? Doesn't sound right to me. I bet he found something out about Magneto-Dyne and then transferred to the Pentagon to make sure it went through."

"Or with the intent to stop it." Tony decided with the intent to take the credit for the research. "Either he's a croonie for a billion dollar company or a hero trying to stop a billion dollar company from getting what it wants from Congress." He paused. "We should tell Gibbs."

"I'm right here, DiNozzo." Gibbs took a drink from his coffee.

Tony looked at McGee as Gibbs passed him, lip-synching 'how long had Gibbs been there' to Tim. McGee ignored Tony smiling and returned to work on his keyboard. Suddenly, Tim felt better that he was back at work instead of taking a mandatory week off.

Gibbs suddenly looked up from his desk to find no one standing at the railing outside MTAC. If Magneto-Dyne was working with the military and protected, NCIS would have a difficult time getting inside the front doors. He refrained from sitting at his desk and headed towards the stairs leading up to the fourth floor.

Tony watched him head towards MTAC and the Director. "Paving the way, boss?"

Gibbs replied on the landing. "Might help."

Tony glanced and Tim and nodded that he still knew how Gibbs thought.

**Chapter Nineteen**

Gibbs stood in front of Director Vance's desk. The Director was looking forward to a quiet afternoon until his MCRT leader walked in to disturb his tranquility. His description of the case was concise and to the point. Which meant Gibbs wanted something from him.

"We need to get into Magneto-Dyne." Gibbs kept his coffee in hand as he spoke. "Lt. Beau was a liaison for six years before requesting the transfer to the Pentagon."

Vance almost smirked at the idea. "Magneto-Dyne doesn't like the military poking holes in their walls even if we call first."

Gibbs pointed out. "It's a murder investigation."

"My hands are tied at the moment with the west coast." Vance almost wanted to see how Gibbs would react. "NCIS has no jurisdiction with a private company. However, there's one person you should talk to."

"Who's that, Leon?"

"Dr. Hature." He noted the winch and the slight twitch. "She owns quite a few shares in the company since she sells a number of her designs to Magneto-Dyne and a few other technology companies that cater to the military. As I understand it, she's got a corporate mediator to represent her within the company limiting her interaction with them. By having a mediator, she protects her position as Director of Forensics here at NCIS. I bet she could do better than I can to get NCIS in there for a look around."

Gibbs sighed. "I bet."

He looked directly at Gibbs. "Why don't you give her a call and ask?"

Gibb straightened at the idea. "Why don't you call." He paused. "It is your job, director."

"Funny how you only do that when you want to avoid someone you don't understand." Leon shook his head. "This would be a direct request. Since it doesn't favor me, you'll have to do your own asking, Gibbs."

"Afraid?"

Leon pretended to be insulted. "You're going to have to learn to work with her." He leaned back in his chair. "So far, she's only worked with you. Meet her half way sometime. She's not all that bad."

Gibbs needed a direct answer. "So it's a 'no', Leon?"

"No." He smiled then. "Ask nicely."

Gibbs hesitated then decided he had to ask Dr. Hature.

**Chapter Twenty**

Gibbs returned from talking to Director Vance while McGee and DiNozzo were at their desks trying to find a way into Magneto-Dyne. Neither one spoke since it appeared their leader was not in a good mood again.

"Find Dr. Hature." Gibbs was irritated that they once again had to deal with the Director of Forensics of NCIS. "She's got a way into Magneto-Dyne Industries."

Hach spoke softly from the corner of Ziva's desk as she walked up to the office in the Squad Room. "I was wondering how long it would take your team to make the connection."

She wore a terracotta trouser suit that fit the curve of her shape. The white collared shirt was buttoned except for the top three. She wore no make-up typically and her hair was worn in a tight bun at the base of her head. Her tan winter coat hung open with a scarf wrapped twice around the neck. She held her black hat in her hands. The air of superiority was certainly back. Tony disliked it immediately.

Tim stood up missing the reaction of Tony and Gibbs. "I take it you heard about Max Beau?"

"Yes." Hach nodded. "Thanks for the email once you located my name on the list of shareholders. Gregory Taylor, my corporate mediator, contacted me as soon as he was informed of the death. Lt. Beau was a good man. Shame to hear he was killed."

Gibbs looked between McGee and Hach curious about their 'ease' of interaction. Dr. Hature approached Tim's desk as if they were friends. Suddenly he realized they shared many common interests, computers and technology only being the main two he knew about at the moment.

"Is there something I should know about?" Gibbs wanted to know.

Hach glanced at Gibbs' over her shoulder. "Max was involved in a number of highly classified projects at Magneto-Dyne. Most of them I wasn't aware since I don't deal with them on a daily basis. I only sell electronic designs to Magneto-Dyne so I don't know about day-to-day operations. However, I can get you into Magneto-Dyne once I call Gregory. They'll want to know more about Max and I know those who worked with him would want his killer found."

Tony looked to Gibbs and Gibbs back at him.

Neither one trusted her before and now they were even more suspicious. Dr. Hature appeared to have a fairly large number of contacts outside NCIS that involved powerful politicians and bureaucrats. It did not sit well with either of them. McGee on the other hand was more in awe of her seeming naivety towards her 'allies' outside NCIS.

"We should have dinner, Timothy." Hach said to Agent McGee and smiled. "I have some ideas you might be interested regarding the GPS system I've been reprogramming."

"I would prefer you call me, Tim." Tim seemed surprised by the invitation. "And I would be honored."

"Tonight if you're not busy with the case?" Hach did not notice the look from Gibbs and DiNozzo. "I know they typically run late with your team until you close it."

Tim nodded. "Yeah." He smiled. "I'd like that."

Hach nodded then walked past him towards the laboratories without acknowledging the other two agents. Tony frowned at Tim and gave him a shame-on-you look. Gibbs looked after Hach wondering what her angle was on his agent.

Tony muttered. "I would prefer you call me, Tim."

Gibbs snapped a glance at DiNozzo and smirked.

**Chapter Twenty-One**

Sure enough, one call from Gregory Taylor and NCIS had a scheduled visit at Magneto-Dyne Industries with Lt. Max Beau's former staff. They were to meet Samuel Creighton at the front lobby and he would escort them around. Nothing would be hidden during the NCIS murder investigation.

Ziva stood with Tim and Tony waiting for the representative to meet them in the lobby of Magneto-Dyne Industries. Gibbs stood away from the others silently observing his surroundings. The lobby was four stories tall with minimal amount of décor and mostly white, glass and polished steel.

A gray haired man in an expensive suit approached the lone elder man standing among three younger strangers. "You are with NCIS?"

Gibbs turned towards him. "Sam Creighton?" He took out his NCIS ID and credentials. "Agents Gibbs, David, McGee and DiNozzo, NCIS."

The others followed suit taking out their ID's and credentials.

"No need for ID's and credentials here." Sam Creighton smiled. "Greg sent over your files last night when he set up the visit request." He waited for Gibbs to join him. "When I was informed about Max Beau I was shocked. I granted the visit so that NCIS can complete their investigation into how this came to happen to such a good soldier. Max was our best liaison the military ever assigned us." Sam paused. "I knew leaving for the Pentagon was a bad idea."

He motioned for the NCIS group to follow him and led them across the lobby towards a set of silver double doors.

"Why was it a bad idea?" Gibbs looked around as they entered through the double doors into a very white hallway with no décor on the walls.

"Max knew every detail about our security protocols." Sam shook his head. "Smarter than our last liaison, Mark Sawell. Max was attentive and always provided us with insight, how to get things done more efficiently."

Tony smirked catching the glancing look from Gibbs' over his shoulder at the name of Mark Sawell, the friend of Max Beau's. The same friend who was supposed to go on the month-long survival camp with Max Beau.

Tony asked. "What exactly were his duties as liaison?"

Sam replied to Gibbs. "Max was our link to the Navy since we provided the Navy Yard with their access codes and security systems. He was good at relaying and interpreting military requirements when needed."

Ziva added. "Sounds like he was a member of the team."

Again Sam replied as if Gibbs made the statement. "He certainly was a member of the team." He smiled curtly. "We wanted to bring him on board as a security consultant but he insisted that he would better serve his country at the Pentagon."

"There weren't any conflicts with personnel?" Gibbs asked directly.

"None that I know of." Sam replied evenly. "He pretty much kept to his office unless the testing department required someone to stand in during a program run. Max was good at numbers. He always knew when to pay attention. I'll show you to his old office and then you can talk to the testing department. They had the most contact with him."

Gibbs noted that Sam Creighton appeared rather proud of Max Beau as being one of their own until he betrayed them. But betrayed them how?

**Chapter Twenty-Two**

The two test coordinators, David March, a man of low stature but high self-esteem was more than happy to explain things to Agent Tim McGee. The fair haired man took an instant liking to the NCIS agent and showed him everything and everyone Max Beau worked with and where he was stationed. The expedition took all of twenty minutes to complete returning to the testing room where they initially started upon being handed over by Sam Creighton.

"We program all of the systems that are specifically dedicated to each client's request." David March eyed each NCIS agent watching him. "Once we've configured the security systems, then we attempt to crack the system to guarantee the level of security our clients have come to depend on. When we try to hack into the systems from an exterior source, we'd have Max come in to monitor the hacking to see how the system responds."

Tony, Ziva and Gibbs were left to try to keep up with March's happy assistant Dana Wellington in her white lab coat. She winked in Tony's direction a number of times but found no return so she focused on Agent Gibbs since he was the only one who appeared to be truly attentive. Her dark hair was bowl cut just below the ear in a straight line and never seemed to move. Her bangs were cut just above her eyes.

Dana Wellington moved forward. "Most security guards aren't computer educated so we program the systems to let these types of people understand what is going on in the system during a hack sequence. The system is designed to alert the client when a hack is detected."

"Thank you, David." Tony felt utterly bored. "Dana."

"We'll need a copy of the dates Max Beau worked within the last year." McGee glanced over his shoulder at the others. "We need to corroborate timelines."

Ziva walked beside Tony on their way out as Tim stayed behind to learn more about what went on at Magneto-Dyne Industries. Gibbs, Ziva, and DiNozzo appeared to put the staff on alert. However, with Agent Timothy McGee, they appeared to relax since they felt he was more relatable on a professional level.

"What a snooze fest." Tony felt angry as they left.

And Ziva felt the chip on Tony's shoulder had returned. Was it because of Dr. Hature's return to NCIS Navy Yard? Since she was back, Tony was out of sorts.

"Still upset McGee was invited to dinner and you weren't, DiNozzo?" Gibbs needed to put Tony straight.

Tony sighed. "Not at all." He muttered. "I love being ignored."

Ziva looked at Tony surprised. "Hach asked McGee to dinner and she didn't invite you?" She faked a shocked expression. "How dare she?"

Tony tried to smile and only glared at her. "They're going together." He pointed out. "Alone."

Ziva snickered. "You afraid Hach will ravage McGee?"

Tony suddenly looked appalled. "He might get lucky?" Then he stopped by the car. "I think I'm going to be sick, Ziva." He looked at her. "How can you do this to me?"

Ziva caught the keys from Gibbs and rounded to the driver's side. "Tim's not her type, Tony." She opened the door.

"You're driving back, Ziva?" Tony immediately went to the back passenger side door behind Gibbs at the passenger side front. "Now I will be getting sick."

"Get in the car, DiNozzo." Gibbs ordered.

Tony yanked open the door. "Getting in, boss."

**Chapter Twenty-Three**

Mark Sawell was back at NCIS this time in Interrogation Room One. He wore his military uniform and appeared relaxed. Somehow it did not phase him to be questioned by NCIS once more regarding the death of Lt. Max Beau. Still, Tony was not convinced that Mark Sawell was completely honest. He could sense the soldier was hiding something.

"Why didn't you tell us you were the liaison at Magneto-Dyne?" Tony demanded.

"It never came up until now." Mark replied evenly. "It was in the past and Max loved his job. I didn't think it mattered."

"Until now." Tony pushed a photo over towards Mark. "What did you do there?"

"I sat in an office and called my superiors when Magneto-Dyne finally got a product ready for demonstration. My job was simply to set up the date and time and get everyone together. I sent out emails, made phone calls, and brought in all the right people."

"A gopher boy." Tony wanted to know.

"Essentially." Mark shrugged. "It was an easy gig. I did it for a year then realized I wanted to actually do something with my time so I opted out for more training instead."

"You offer Max the job?" Tony leaned forward.

Mark shook his head. "Yeah." Then shrugged. "Magneto-Dyne doesn't trust outsiders unless you come highly recommended. I told him about it and Max decided to take it. But then he found himself immersed in the Magneto-Dyne atmosphere."

"What does that mean?" Tony narrowed his eyes. "The Magneto-Dyne atmosphere?"

Mark leaned forward. "It's like a club." He lowered his voice. "The kind you hope you never find or belong to." He sighed. "They like you to become involved in the business, the people and the extracurricular activities."

"What kind of extracurricular activities?"

"I never found out." Mark sighed. "I wasn't the 'go-getter' they wanted to I was kept out of the loop." He paused. "Max said they were a bit paranoid, especially at the VP level and up. They were suspicious of the lower ranks and often put people under surveillance. Said it was strange they were always constantly second-guessing other industries and the military. Whatever they worked on, you practically had to sign away you're first born to be a part of."

Tony knew things were 'hinkey' at Magneto-Dyne. "Weapons?"

"Magneto-Dyne doesn't design weapons." Mark shrugged then. "Normally I would've been more investigative but I decided that it wasn't worth the trouble. If they were putting people under surveillance, I wasn't going to rock the boat."

"Did Max rock the boat?"

Mark thought before he spoke. "If he did, he didn't tell me about it."

Tony was not sure why he felt he believed Mark Sawell.

**Chapter Twenty-Four**

Abby was rather pleased with herself when Gibbs entered the lab carrying a Caf-Pow in his right hand and a fresh coffee in his left. They just came from visiting Magneto-Dyne Industries. Since Dr. Hature, Hach, was back, she did not care. Though Little H was currently out getting lunch for them at the moment. She wanted to keep a distance from Gibbs since she had ties to Magneto-Dyne.

"Guess your field trip was a bit too much to handle, uh?"

Gibbs slowed looking to her quizzically. "Who told you where we went to Magneto-Dyne Industries?"

Abby realized she gave too much away. "A little birdie."

Gibbs easily guessed and nodded. "Dr. Hature."

Abby Sciuto was not someone who could hide her guilt even if her life depended on it. He refrained from smiling at her innocent attempts to bait him. But why did she want to discuss his recent outing to Magneto-dyne Industries? He realized she said nothing more.

"What have you got, Abs?"

Suddenly, Abby realized she was in her lab once again. "The liquid Ducky found on Max Beau's clothes on his back is magnesium diboride."

Gibbs only stared at her so she continued.

"It's used in superconducting liquids."

Gibbs only frowned.

Abby sighed. "This is experimental stuff, Gibbs." She was more than excited. "Most people know superconductors as related to magnets and electricity. But some superconductors can maintain a current without applying a voltage to it." She paused. "MRI's Gibbs."

Gibbs only blinked.

"I take it you never had a MRI?" Gibbs returned a blank stare as if to say 'when-was-the-last-time-I-went-to-a-doctor' so she continued. "Fine." Abby tapped her keyboard and brought up a picture of Lt. Max Beau in a simulation. "Okay. We know Lt. Beau was attacked from the right side. Now that we have the magnesium diboride identified, we now know that whoever hit him had the stuff on their clothes. During the attack, the liquid was transferred from the killer to the victim."

"Does Magneto-Dyne Industries use this magnesium…"

Abby smiled. "Diboride?" She shook her head. "I asked Hach already since she has her paws into Magneto-Dyne Industries. According to her, they aren't cleared by the government to work with it since they have the security military contracts with the Navy Yard and a few others along the east coast and in the Midwest. Most magnesium diboride is used by physicists in universities around the country, mostly with astrophysics applications. However, there's a professor from Georgetown College using the facilities at Magneto-Dyne testing labs." Abby paused once more. "At least, they're not supposed to anyway."

Gibbs did not understand anything on the screen. "Someone's doing something they shouldn't."

Abby smiled wider. "Exactly." She felt proud Gibbs was learning. "And maybe Max Beau knew about it."

Gibbs handed her the Caf-Pow and kissed her temple then left the lab.

TO BE CONTINUED…


	33. Episode 11: Mystery Beau Part 3

**NCIS Season 9**

**Episode 9.11.3**

**Mystery Beau**

**By: Lady JenDragon**

**Disclaimer: **NCIS belongs to…those CBS people.

**Author's Notes: **My friend told me about this shirt that read – Writer's Block: When your imaginary friends won't talk to you. My response: Ha! I bribe mine!

* * *

**MYSTERY BEAU**

**PART THREE**

**Chapter Twenty-Five**

Gibbs walked into Autopsy with the intention of finding Ducky available for consult. The room was empty this afternoon. He hoped for more information regarding Max Beau's death. How he got into the coffin for one. He circled the center examination table once then decided to head back towards the Interrogation Rooms.

At that moment Ducky returned to his pond.

"Waiting long, Jethro?"

Gibbs shook his head only slightly stopping in mid-step. "No."

""If you're hoping for more, I'm afraid I'll have to disappoint you." Ducky walked towards his desk. "There's nothing to add since I completed my examination. Max Beau was hit once at full swing from the right side with something heavy and solid."

"Someone was waiting for him." Gibbs knew Ducky had another piece of necessary information for him. "Time of death, Duck?"

"He died before he left for his survival camp." Ducky shook his head. "When did his wife talk to him?"

"Around four o-clock." Ducky responded evenly rereading his report. "According to what Mrs. Beau said, it was almost immediately after he got off the phone with her that he was struck." He frowned. "I've been running calculations on time of death. Time of death was shortly after his call to his wife. At least as close to that Abby and I could identify. We had to take into account the atmosphere within the coffin and the age of the bugs."

Gibbs said nothing thinking silently.

"These survival camps are supposed to teach us how to respond to nature when we've been separated from civilization." Ducky appeared thoughtful. "Max Beau enjoyed whatever nature could throw at him."

"Couldn't fore see having to plan for the human condition." Gibbs knew they were skating on thin ice at the moment with evidence. "Thanks Duck."

His mind was churning now.

**Chapter Twenty-Six**

Gibbs walked up the front walk of the Beau Residence looking for signs of struggle, blood, or signs of damage. He checked the corner of the garage where the coffin was once affixed. The light appeared untouched but it was not new. There was no evidence to indicate Beau was murdered in front of his home.

At that moment, Mrs. Beau came out the front door. She walked across the small porch and down the stairs to meet with him. She was well dressed and appeared rather fresh for a woman in mourning. That did not necessarily mean 'guilt'. But the look he got was 'approving' not 'suspicious'. That made Gibbs pause for only a moment.

Margie smiled. "Can I help you?"

Gibbs took out his credentials watching Mrs. Beau closely. "Agent Gibbs, NCIS."

"I haven't seen you before." Margo frowned. "There was an Agent DiNozzo and a woman agent named Dah-vid here yesterday." She appeared disturbed. "Have you found out who killed Max?"

Gibbs replied in a low voice. "We're working on it." He looked to the garage wondering if they knew the whole story. "Was the coffin the only décor on the far side of the garage?"

Margo frowned again and looked thoughtfully at the far end of the garage.

"Max changed it every year." She nearly smiled then lost it. "He liked to change things around every year to keep the same décor fresh. So the kids wouldn't know where he'd jump out." Margo smiled then. "Max enjoyed scaring kids by hiding behind various decorations when they weren't looking. He preferred the yard dark at night."

Gibbs looked around. "Can you make a list of any decorations that might be missing?"

Margo had not thought about it. "Was Max ki…" She had to pause. "Killed here?"

Gibbs shook his head. "We're wondering where he was when he went missing." He turned to face the other houses on the street.

None of the neighbors had a direct line of sight with the medium trees growing in the front yard of the garage or the side yard. DiNozzo failed to mention the presence of the two trees in his preliminary report. The photos of the yard would be in the file. Still, it surprised him Tony missed such a simple detail.

Gibbs sighed then walked around to the side of the house then into the backyard.

Margo Beau followed him closely wondering why the agent was snooping around towards the backyard. There he found a rusted out swing set sitting in the backyard in poor condition. What got his attention was that the metal pipes were sitting at odd angles but none seemed to have fallen over despite the lack of maintenance.

Gibbs looked to Mrs. Beau. "Did you install the swing set?"

Margo shook her head. "It came with the house. The previous owners poured cement into the set tubes to keep the swings from falling over. They had four kids."

He noted a small length lying near the back porch. It appeared as the horizontal support for the set but it too was filled with concrete. He approached it cautiously noting there was something black in the rusted areas. Otherwise it appeared to be clean of debris.

Gibbs decided to take it to Abby to see if she could find something on it. At that moment, he tripped over a sprinkler head. He noted there was some residue of recent use.

Margie Beau watched Agent Gibbs with a keen eye.

He turned towards her noting she was clearly checking him out. "You run the sprinklers, Mrs. Beau?"

Margie blinked. "Not at this time of the year." She frowned. "The day Max left for his trip, I noticed the lawn was really wet." Noting his expression. "Is that bad?"

"Might be." Gibbs nodded realizing that someone washed away the blood from the crime scene then said softly. "For us."

All he had was the small pipe with possible blood in the rust.

**Chapter Twenty-Seven**

Tim McGee was looking through the financial records on his computer of Max and Margie Beau, Dana Wellington, David March, Sam Creighton, and anyone else that could be a possible suspect. Thus far, no one popped as a prime suspect as far as pay-offs were concerned. Magneto-Dyne Industries sent over a cache of files on Max Beau. On his old computer, there were some old photos. Since he got nowhere with anything else, Tim decided to peruse the file labeled 'photos' from Max's computer at work.

The window popped on screen and photos began appearing in thumbnails. Tim taped a few keys then the photos began a five-second rotation. He watched for a few seconds as a pattern began to emerge. Tim's eyes widened and a 'eureka' expression crossed his face.

That got his attention. "Whoa."

Ziva arrived back in the Squad Room when McGee made his discovery. Tony and she retrieved one Dr. Carlton Hayes to NCIS for questioning. Tony felt something 'off' during their field trip and escorted Hayes to the Interrogation Rooms instead of the conference room upon their return. She was willing to find out what set Tony's gut off.

"What is it, McGee?" She dropped her field bag.

"It seems Max Beau knew everyone at Magneto-Dyne Industries." Tim transferred photos to the large plasma then got to his feet and walked over to take a closer look.

Ziva walked over to the plasma to see what Tim saw. "You think there's something going on?"

Tim frowned at the photo. "What do you see?" He showed a few more so Ziva could hopefully catch up to his line of reasoning.

"A group of people enjoying a picnic."

Tim frowned. "There's that." He paused to consider the possibility since he found the idea ludicrous. "What else?"

Ziva was out of ideas. "I don't know." She smiled that suddenly turned conniving. "What do you see, Tim?"

Tim smirked. "A lot of married people standing by people they're not married to."

Ziva frowned at the photo then eyed Tim. "And that means what?"

Tim appeared shocked Ziva David was not aware of the concept.

**Chapter Twenty-Eight**

Tony DiNozzo, armed with his file, was about to enter Interrogation Room One when he spied Gibbs standing next to the door of Interrogation Room Two. There was a certain chill to his eyes this afternoon. It made Tony stop despite his hand on the knob.

Gibbs spoke softly. "This won't wait." He opened the door and disappeared into the room.

Tony sighed then followed, entering the door left open by Gibbs. Once inside, Gibbs waited for Tony near the corner of the center table.

"You're off your game lately."

Tony said nothing knowing Gibbs was right.

Gibbs stepped to him and kept his voice low. "I need your complete focus, DiNozzo." He knew exactly what Tony was going through. "I know where' you're at." Gibbs paused on purpose to let the words sink in. "Leave it for now. We'll get him. The Reaper isn't done with us yet."

"I can't help it." Tony felt his inner turmoil boiling over just at the name. "He's tried to kill me twice. I'm finding it difficult to think about anything else."

Gibbs knew Tony needed to be challenged. "Is that what you think he's doing?"

Tony threw the file in his hand against the wall, letting his anger go finally, closing the distance between him and Gibbs. The papers in the file fell to the floor in a fan. There were few photos and papers with dates and labels in lists facing up.

"What else is he doing!" Tony needed someone to face off with him. "First he gets Ziva and me into an alley and blows it to hell!" He was itching for a confrontation since his first encounter with The Reaper. "We barely survived that close encounter of a mercenary kind! Then a few weeks later The Reaper nearly takes out our entire team! What more do Vance and you need to go after him now?"

Gibbs did not back down. "You think by getting revenge now on The Reaper, it will make you feel better, Tony?"

Tony sighed realizing there was something else driving Gibbs and replied evenly. "Hell yeah."

Gibbs slapped Tony up side his head. That only seemed to get Tony more agitated. It took a lot of restraint to keep Tony from returning the assault. Gibbs noted the anger and rage remained in Tony DiNozzo for the first time. This would dangerous to him in the future. DiNozzo had to let it go.

He spoke slowly. "This thirst for revenge will only get your team killed."

Tony stood there fuming but kept his exterior composure. "Is that why you went to Mexico alone?" With that, Tony left Gibbs in Interrogation Room Two.

Gibbs knew what DiNozzo meant.

**Chapter Twenty-Nine**

Tony stood in the hall between Interrogation Rooms One and Two lingering over his confrontation with Gibbs. This was the first time he felt like he had no control. And he let it take him completely. As a NCIS agent he was expected to restrain his emotions more than other NCIS staff. Still, The Reaper was a tender and sore patch with him.

It would take time to get over. Still, with The Reaper running around free, it bothered him that there appeared to be inaction on NCIS and the FBI behalf. That bothered him more than The Reaper succeeding on killing them all the next time they met.

It bothered him that Gibbs was limited to what he could investigate. It bothered him that The Reaper appeared smarter than them. It bothered him that Hach's sister was married to the guy and he just let Perfecto kill her. It bothered him that Dr. Hature seemed to think she was better than him.

Tony said softly. "Too many players." And sighed again. "And we're stuck in the middle."

At that moment, Ziva came around the corner with the intention of watching Tony question Professor Carlton Hayes. He was simmering since they brought him in for questioning. Her hand on the knob to the Observation Room, she paused noting Tony's expression.

"You okay, Tony?" She inquired suddenly worried he was not fine at all.

Tony looked at her solemnly. "No."

Ziva paused then walked over to him as asked softly. "The Reaper?"

Tony nodded. "Yeah." He shook his head. "I can't seem to let it go, Ziva."

She leaned forward. "I want him dead too." Ziva checked the hallway for anyone. "But I know the day will come when we'll face him again." She sighed. "Until then, I will use my anger to find him and Perfecto. Then when we face them, I will be in my right mind and I will pull the trigger."

Tony smirked. "Somehow that makes me feel better."

It was Ziva who got serious this time. "I expect you to shoot first and ask questions later, Tony." She paused. "Without hesitation. Too many have died at their hands. It's time to end it when the time presents itself."

Tony nodded he understood. "I like it."

It would do for now.

The door to Interrogation Room Two opened and Gibbs exited with the file Tony threw at the wall in hand. He handed the file to Tony who accepted it with minor regret in his eyes. Gibbs said nothing, walked back towards the office flipping his phone open and dialed a number. He put the phone to his ear as he rounded the corner.

"You'll…we'll figure it out." Ziva said quietly. "You'll find a way to set it aside for the time being and live for the moment."

Ziva noted the tension between the two then turned and walked towards the Observation Room for Interrogation Room One. Tony looked after Gibbs now that he disappeared around the corner. His eyes shifted to Ziva.

Ziva needed a second opinion. "You think he heard us?"

"Because he agrees with us and can't say he does." Tony surmised from the look Gibbs gave him. "Now we just have to get Timmy on our side."

"I'll beat him into submission." Ziva said confidently and turned towards the Observation Room to enter.

Tony smiled then and felt himself coming back. "Thanks, Ziva."

"Welcome, Tony." With that she opened the door and went into the Observation Room closing the door behind her.

**Chapter Thirty**

Doctor Carlton Hayes sat in Interrogation Room One across from Tony DiNozzo. His hair turned white and his once handsome looks were now beginning to fade. Still, he maintained an air of 'education' about him. Dressed in tweed jacket, black trousers, and white shirt with black shoes, the professor appeared more like an elderly salesman than a professor of physics. Tony disliked him immediately when they first arrived to question him at Georgetown College. However, the professor's ego proved his undoing and let slip he knew a lot about Max Beau's extracurricular activities.

Tony wanted to play dumb investigator first. "A physicist?"

"Yes." The reply was said with an air of arrogance.

"So." Tony flipped open the file lying on the bale in front of him open and pretended to read the words on the page. "It says here that you use magnesium diboride in your research?"

Carlton replied honestly. "Of course." He paused prior to breaking into an obvious explanation noting that the NCIS agent would not comprehend the importance of his research. "Our labs are far too ancient to handle the intensity my experiments require."

"So you use Magneto-Dyne Industries resources?"

Carlton lifted his chin. "There's nothing illegal about it."

"Oh, I disagree." Tony folded his arms annoyed with Gibbs more than the person in front of him. "If the military found out you were doing your little experiments on the side without prior approval, they could lose their military contracts."

Carlton's eyes widened not because he was surprised to hear about how his research would affect Magneto-Dyne Industries. He quickly recovered and brought his emotions under control. His lifted his chin in case the agent noticed.

Tony was blunt. "Who's your contact?" Carlton remained silent. "Someone was letting you in after hours to play in the forbidden house. Whoever it is…" Tony smirked. "They're taking a big risk letting you into Magneto-Dyne just to use the lab for academics sake." He paused. "Or is there more you're not telling me?"

Carlton eyed the NCIS agent clearly aware of his recent history then sighed. "Fine. I was using the lab after hours so no one would know I was there. I was told that no one would find out about it and that I wouldn't be affecting anyone there."

Tony smiled. "I don't think you were spending that many hours just on academics."

"I don't like what you're insinuating, Agent DiNozzo." Carlton placed his hands neatly on the table in front of him. "My experiments finished more than a month ago. I have no reason to make the drive to Magneto-Dyne anymore."

Tony pulled out a single piece of paper from the file and placed it on top of the file. He took the time to read the paper. Finally he lifted his head and looked knowingly at the professor.

"Then why does it say you were there every Thursday night for the last six months?" Tony smiled and pushed the paper towards Carlton Hayes. "You signed in every evening you were there."

Carlton's mouth gaped open at the list of dates. The professor genuinely appeared confounded at the list of dates. He looked up at DiNozzo as if this was the first time he saw the written log.

"I couldn't have been there every Thursday." He frowned. "I teach a class Thursday nights from six to ten. I haven't missed a class yet. The college and my students can verify that I've been there."

"I don't think they're dates." Tony stated. "I think it's a code."

Carlton lifted an eyebrow at him. "For what?"

"Parties." Tony smiled.

Suddenly the professor felt very uncomfortable.

**Chapter Thirty-One**

Dana Wellington sat in Interrogation Room Two across from Gibbs.

"You were having an affair with Carlton Hayes." Gibbs pulled his photo from the file on the table in front of him. "And Max Beau." Another photo came out of the file in front of her. "And Sam Creighton." Gibbs got tired of pulling out photos so he waited patiently for confirmation.

"Not Sam." Dana's mouth gaped open. "I…" She paused to compose herself. "It's not like that."

Gibbs met her eyes coldly. "You swing, Miss Wellington."

Dana leaned back finding Gibbs' expression blank. She paused to consider what to say. Then she realized the older agent understood more than he let on previously. Apparently his blank expression hid his ability to determine what people hid from him during an investigation. There was no point in denying it now.

She sighed then rubbed her hands over her face then placed them on the table in front of her. "How did you figure it out?"

"Photos." Gibbs pulled out one photo from the recent company picnic. "Husbands and wives with friends and co-workers. From all accounts captured in film, you spent a lot of time with them."

"Digital photos, Agent Gibbs." Dana stared at the photo then looked to Gibbs quizzically. "You got all that from a photo?"

"And interviews." Gibbs leaned forward. "Where did you meet?"

"Varied." Dana felt relieved it was out in the open. "Lately, we've been meeting at Magneto-Dyne since there were a number of…colleagues from there that joined the party." She noted his blank expression. "It's not against the law for sex between consenting adults."

"Magneto-Dyne Industries would hold it against its employees if they were having sex parties on their property." He paused. "Is that what Sam Creighton threatened you with?"

"Sam?" Dana frowned and rolled her eyes. "He's jealous he was never asked to join? He always chased us around."

"How long has he known about the parties?" Gibbs knew there were plenty of people to talk to regarding the parties.

"More than a year, I think." She leaned back in her chair. "He hated that we were always one step ahead of him."

"Who doctored the log-in records?" Gibbs pulled out the false logs showing Carlton Hayes signing in on Thursdays over the past six months.

"It's a code for the location and day." Dana smiled sweetly at the list. "The first two numbers indicates the location and the last two indicate the day of the month the party would take place. The time was always the same time."

"How were the locations chosen?" Gibbs did not really care about locations.

"It was a list made when we decided to begin the parties." She shrugged. "The locations were drawn up between our houses and eventually Magneto-Dyne. Each location was assigned a number. Since Magneto-Dyne had better facilities, we typically used them more often. More so in the last six months."

"You know who killed Max Beau?" Gibbs threw it out there for fun.

Dana appeared alarmed. "When you find who did it, kick their ass." She sighed. "I'm going to miss him." She almost whimpered. "Severely."

Gibbs was not amused. "Is Mrs. Beau attending the parties?"

Dana nodded her eyes focused on Agent Gibbs. "She came up with the code for the locations and the days of the month." Smiling she wondered. "You could join us sometime." Dana Wellington asked innocently. "It's not as bad as you think."

Gibbs only looked at her. "Not my kind of party."

He got what he wanted out of her.

**Chapter Thirty-Two**

Ziva returned to Observation Room One after taking a phone call and stood beside McGee. Tim folded his arms watching Tony tear the professor's attempts to avoid answering questions about the parties. However, DiNozzo had a few tricks up his sleeves. Photos of sex and naked women seemed to be the professor's weakness and Tony was using them against the older man. Tony had Carlton Hayes all but in tears over the photo of a group of people at a company picnic.

"What's going on?" Ziva wanted an update.

"Swinging." Tim smiled.

Ziva frowned then pointed out the simple fact. "Carlton Hayes doesn't look like he's swinging anywhere."

Tim chuckled. "No…not swinging like on a swing." He glanced at her. "As in couples having sex with other couples willingly."

Ziva scowled at the idea. "Why?"

Tim shrugged. "Some couples just don't like monogamy."

"Sounds like self doubt." Ziva frowned then looked around. "Where's Gibbs?"

"Dana Wellington in Interrogation Two."

"She's part of it?" Ziva raised her eyebrows.

"So were the Beau's apparently." Tim smiled. "It never fails to amaze me what people keep secret."

Ziva silently agreed her eyes drifting to Tony.

**Chapter Thirty-Three**

The photos of Max Beau laid out on the autopsy examination table was seemingly too much for the good professor. He veered his eyes whenever Tony separated the individual shots. Then Tony slammed his hand down over the photo, the loud thud scared Carlton Hayes into sitting up straight.

"It wasn't me!" His voice held a slightly higher pitch to it.

"I sincerely doubt it, Dr. Hayes." Tony got to his feet. "Dana Wellington's too short to have swung the pipe filled with cement. She doesn't possess the physical strength to have killed Max!"

Carlton was aghast that someone thought he could commit murder. The photos made him sick, he had difficulty looking at them. Nonetheless, the agent insisted he look at the photos of Max Beau lying on the autopsy table the color of white and gray ash. His eyes were closed but he was not at peace.

Carlton was at a loss what to say.

Tony sensed it and backed off. Exiting the room, he would give the professor time to think about it. When he returned, he would have something to use against Hayes. If not murder, something that would get him to cooperate.

Tony needed more time.

**Chapter Thirty-Four **

Ziva and Tim were watching Tony with expressions of concern. They both noticed he had been acting oddly since their last encounter with The Reaper. Both knew Gibbs had to be aware of the issue. If they noticed it, so did their boss. He noticed everything.

Ziva sighed noting there was a small change in the senior agent. "I hope Tony gets through this."

Tim agreed deeply. "We just have to keep him from losing it when we come face to face with The Reaper again."

"You think Tony will lose it long enough to blatantly kill him?" That worried Ziva. "He could lose more than his agent status at NCIS."

Tim nodded. "I don't think Gibbs will allow him to make that mistake."

"Gibbs has to be there to stop it." Ziva pointed out. "When someone wants revenge. They often don't take into account what others want."

Tim was about to reply when the door opened.

Abby entered the Observation Room. "Where's Gibbs?"

"With Wellington in Room Two." Tim shot over his shoulder.

"The blood on the swing set Gibbs found matches Max Beau." Abby stood beside McGee. "The prints don't match Carlton Hayes or Dana Wellington."

Ziva and Tim turned to Abby.

Abby faced them and smiled victoriously. "I know who killed Max Beau."

**Chapter Thirty-Five**

Sam Creighton sat across from Agent Gibbs in Interrogation Room One. He wore a black suit with white shirt, gray tie and matching black shoes. The epitome of what an industrial CEO of one of the largest security companies in the world should appear to the public. Carlton Hayes was removed from the room prior to Creighton's arrival. He was currently sitting in the conference room in case he was needed again.

"What is the meaning of this intrusion?" He was hot. "Honestly, to be pulled out of my office in such a demeaning fashion, Agent Gibbs. I've got a company to run."

"Not today." Gibbs pulled out a photo from the file under his hands and let it fall to the table in front of Sam Creighton.

Sam leaned forward and glanced at it. "The company picnic."

"More than a picnic." Gibbs eyed him with cold eyes. "You found out Max and his friends were holding swing parties on Magneto-Dyne Industries property."

Sam suddenly straightened going rigid. "I suspected they were more than just friendly from their testing days." He cleared his throat. "However, it wasn't my business to look into it."

"You followed them one night." Gibbs pulled out a security log McGee found. "After hours. In the testing lab."

Sam rolled his eyes. "It's not a crime to watch."

"You needed confirmation they were violating Magneto-Dyne policies." Gibbs shrugged. "But you stayed to do more than watch."

Sam lifted his chin at the insinuation but said nothing.

Now onto more pressing matters.

"You approached Max Beau and told him you knew what they were doing." Gibbs wanted the rest of the story leading up to Max Beau's murder.

"I did." Sam felt uncomfortable talking to a stranger. "Eight months ago, just after a test run." He hated how it went. "Max shrugged it off that it didn't matter. Five years of being a liaison and he just abuses his position for…what? Sex?" He shook his head. "Appalling."

"So you killed him." Gibbs watched Sam Creighton closely.

Nothing appeared to phase the other man.

"You didn't give up though." Gibbs eyes turned cold then continued with his version of the story. "You waited for Max at his house knowing he was going on his trip and was scheduled to leave around 4pm. You waited until he finished his call to his wife before you rang the doorbell to confront him." Gibbs pulled a photo out of the swing piece filled with cement. "When he blew you off and slammed the door in your face, you went around to the backyard knowing he would drive to the survival camp." Gibbs noted the sweat forming on Sam Creighton's brow. "You knew everything about Max Beau in the six years he worked with you. When he ignored you again, you struck him with the pipe from the swing set." Gibbs got to his feet. "The blow was fatal on contact. You didn't count on killing him. You just wanted him to acknowledge what you knew."

Sam felt no remorse. "He laughed about it all." He thought for a moment. "It didn't bother him that he ignored all protocols and disgraced the halls of Magneto-Dyne Industries with his filth."

"So you cleaned him out." Gibbs smirked. "You got him the transfer to the Pentagon to get rid of him. But he kept coming back, didn't he?"

Sam leaned forward and said evenly.

"Not anymore."

Then he smiled at Gibbs for the first time.

**Chapter Thirty-Six**

Ziva stood with her hands on her hips staring at Gibbs with Creighton.

She had to know. "How did you know they were swinging?"

Tony stood on the other side of Tim McGee holding the file he used during his questioning of Carlton Hayes.

"During the interviews." Tim replied. "They were all too happy to chat up their friends but when it came to others, they weren't so forthcoming."

"Why would Max Beau need to swing?" Tony felt his anger lingering but knew it would pass once he let go. "His wife's hot."

Tim shrugged. "I don't get it either."

Ziva shook her head.

**Chapter Thirty-Seven**

Tim smiled at learning something interesting upon his return from escorting Miss Wellington out of NCIS.

"Are you kidding?" Ziva's mouth was agape.

"What?" Tony was shocked staring at their fearless leader. "Dana Wellington invited Gibbs to join their party?" Party was in quotations marks with Tony's fingers.

Tim nodded. "She just told me downstairs that she asked Gibbs to join them." Shaking his head. "I never pegged her for being so…"

Gibbs sat at his desk smirking.

Tim, Tony and Ziva suddenly straightened at their desks when

Hach arrived in the Gibbs' Den of the Squad Room dressed for the cold weather outside. She stopped by Tim's desk and smirked at the threesome looking guilty. She over heard the conversation about Dana Wellington. Made sense to her now why the woman behaved the way she did.

"Are you ready for dinner?" She softly asked Tim.

He glanced up from his computer then checked his watch. "Yeah." He closed the windows on his computer and shut it down.

Gibbs perked up at Hach's soft question, eyeing them.

Tim grabbed his coat and seemed to forget that everyone else was working. However, he appeared unphased since he was getting nowhere anyway with finding The Reaper. Still, he glanced around at his teammates and decided that another twelve hours would not hurt.

"Where are we going?" Tim asked ignoring the shocked look from Tony and Ziva.

They walked towards the elevator side-by-side.

"I was thinking of Bailey's on Fourth." Hach liked to dine in the more refined establishments. "I'm working on this new GPS system that you might finding interesting. I'm planning to disperse its scan ability to refine the wavering bandwidth signal especially in locations with limited satellite coverage. I believe you're aware of the new Micro-Anics version in OS7?"

"OS7 is coming out soon, yes?" Tim was intrigued. "That's equipment particularly used only by the military."

"It goes out for distribution next month." Hach liked to talk shop with a fellow IT nerd. "The military is always pushy about getting the latest and greatest. The system will be replaced with a newer version, OS7.5 in nine months." She partially smiled at Ziva as she walked by. "This is a handheld device I've been trying to miniaturize for the last year."

Tony and Ziva looked to one another across the walkway between their desks somewhat disturbed by the nerd talk but clearly impressed by the choice of restaurant.

When Tim and Little Doc entered the elevator Tony whispered. "I love Bailey's."

"I agree." Ziva agreed sincerely. "Bailey's is very good."

Then Tony cringed. "And so expensive!" He bit his fist wishing he had been invited.

Gibbs shook his head watching the elevator doors open. Once the pair disappeared onto the elevator then he got back to work himself. The Reaper was luring NCIS somewhere and he wanted to know where that place was located.

THE END

_NEXT TIME on NCIS…_

_Sometimes you just have to get married to catch a killer..._


	34. Episode 12: Swastika Part 1

**NCIS Season 9**

**Episode 9.12.1**

**Swastika**

**By: Lady JenDragon**

**Disclaimer: **NCIS is not my idea, yeah, okay I feel better for saying it. Carrying on.

**Author's Notes: **I had to switch the episodes around a little since this one was already written. I just added some Christmas cheer!This was a rare idea that I'm not sure would fly with fans or the show but I figured that's what FanFic is for!

* * *

**SWASTIKA**

**PART ONE**

**Chapter One**

Three weeks before Christmas, Washington DC was getting ready for the holiday season. It recently snowed giving the city a light dusting of white. The blanket helped put the residents in the coming holiday cheer. Others grumbled about the hassles it brought.

And some took pleasure in it and decided it was time to get out and enjoy nature.

A couple walked along the path through Rock Creek Park on a most chilly of mornings. Mr. and Mrs. Dean lingered arm in arm laughing and discussed the most recent news quietly. Mrs. Dean appeared happy and warm in her faux fur ankle coat. Her blonde hair was curled and accented with crystal combs. Mr. Dean appeared a proud Navy officer in his uniform coat, the slacks indicating he wore that uniform tonight.

"Come on, Mr. Dean!" She teased lovingly. "I want to know how you feel about becoming a newly minted Lt. Commander of the United States Navy."

They stopped on the path and Mrs. Dean turned to face her husband.

"Well, Mrs. Dean." He smiled proud and happy. "I can say that it's been a long, hard journey. One I couldn't have made all alone. Not without the support of my family and friends."

"Well, that sounds like a typical generic response from the US government." She appeared unimpressed. "What does your heart tell you?"

Mr. Dean squinted, looking past his wife.

"What is that?" And pointed towards the bush.

Mrs. Dean spun around and bent forward slightly trying to get a view of what her husband was talking about. At first she saw nothing then realized it was almost hidden by snow. But it had not snowed in three days and most of that already melted.

"Mike, what is that?" She asked suddenly spooked. "Maybe we should go home?"

Her husband had other ideas. He moved across the grass towards the bushes intent on finding out what the shape was and belonged to. Lt. Commander Dean moved the bushes aside. His eyes widened at what he found. His wife placed her hands over her mouth to stifle a scream.

There were two sets of feet protruding from beneath the branches. It was clear that one was male and the other one female. They could see nothing more but did not venture attempting to uncover the bodies. It appeared they were no longer living. Mike Dean pulled his wife away from the scene quickly reaching for his phone.

"Come on, Rachel!' He urged. "There's nothing more we can do here."

**Chapter Two**

Gibbs stared at the shell of a small rowboat beginning to take shape in the centre of the room. The news played on the small television, the sound turned down. He appeared disturbed, unable to concentrate on his hobby.

He mumbled. "Two weeks."

He was cleaning out his files and prepping in case something came up. And Abby was away on Perfecto still. That annoyed him when Fornell whisked his forensic analyst away. Though they had Dr. Hature as back up, he preferred his team. Since he had not made up his mind whether Dr. Hature was friend or foe, he took to brooding about things in his basement.

In the boredom that was he job the last two weeks, he began the small rowboat. Why he chose to make this one at this moment, he had no clue. Something to do, he guessed. Still, Dr. Hature's presence as a member of his team bothered him.

The phone rang on his side workbench. He paused, discovering the location of where he left the damn phone the last time. He found it quickly enough and sighed when he recognized the number. He clicked the phone to 'on' to answer.

"Yeah, Duck." He paused listening to the simple detailed explanation. "Don't touch anything. I'm on my way."

Gibbs smiled, shaking his head. Quickly, he got onto his feet heading towards the stairs leading to the kitchen. He took the phone with him.

**Chapter Three**

Rock Creek Park had seen a lot of action lately.

Less than an hour later, he arrived to find only a few members of the NCIS Major Case Response Team arrived. The ones that mattered were already here scouring for evidence. McGee was off taking photos of the surrounding scene since he was already down where the bodies were found. Tony and Ziva were canvassing the surrounding park area for anyone who might have seen something. The scene was already cordoned off.

Gibbs found Ducky perusing the bushes where he guessed the body was found. He squatted next to Ducky over the remnants of the crime scene. There was nothing to find in the first snow of the fall except the outlines of two bodies left behind in the cold night.

"It's not often an Admiral finds his way to my part of the base." Ducky sounded tired but then it was before sun up.

"It's not everyday an Admiral winds up dead in Rock Creek Park, Duck." Gibbs glanced around. "Where's Palmer?"

Ducky did not glance over at Gibbs. "Accompanying the Admiral and his new wife back home."

He was a bit surprised. "You moved the bodies already?"

Ducky felt his age tonight. "It's not my fault you were late."

He was having more of these days lately since Trevor Macelli died. They were friends once until the scandal showed Trevor's true colors. His nights felt lonelier and his work no longer satisfied him as it once did. Perhaps he was burning out after all.

Gibbs hated when the bodies were removed before he arrived. "And?

Ducky stood up. "They were dead sometime before midnight last night. I doubt they were killed in the park. Signs point to a vehicle on the grass and their bodies appear to have been only dumped here. Both were stabbed in the back multiple times."

He looked around. "There's no blood either."

"I've already looked around just after I arrived on scene." Ducky agreed. "I didn't find any pools or droplets."

McGee completed his round of photos of the scene. Tony and Ziva would need help. It would take time to search all of Rock Creek Park. But the thought it might not take as much time since no one was usually out this late also occurred to him. Then he decided it was time to check in first before deciding his next move.

"Uh, boss." Tim walked up to Gibbs and Duck and pointed. "The grass is flattened about fifty feet from the pathway there, the bodies were probably dumped here directly from a vehicle."

Gibbs glanced at Ducky who smirked then he looked to where Tim pointed. "Any tracks?"

Tim shook his head. "None yet. Tires were probably very close to bald. A sample's been taken for Abby to run anyway."

Gibbs looked up at the snow-covered trees. November came fast this year. This time of year the ground was hardening from the cold. Perfect for hiding tracks. There was little to go on at this time. There was not much left to do but wait for results and get some coffee.

Gibbs left the scene.

**Chapter Four**

Later at the NCIS Navy Yard, McGee tapped on his computer looking up the usual background information; financials, emails, and cellphone usage within the last 24-hours. Tony sat behind his desk on the phone talking to someone about the victims living arrangements. Ziva arrived back just ahead of Gibbs with four cups of coffee. Gibbs came around her desk, passing the newly erected Christmas tree near the window and paused to take his coffee cup after Ziva indicated which one and moved to his desk.

"Talk to me!" Gibbs demanded rounding his desk.

Tim spoke up as Ziva placed his coffee on his desk and looked relieved. "Ducky identified the victims by dentals as Admiral Robert Hacket, fifty-seven and his new bride, twenty-five year old Camilla Johnson. They met at a charity function here in DC two years ago." He paused. "Apparently, they hit it off immediately and it's been happily ever after since. I found their announcement that was posted a month before the wedding. But Miss Johnson wasn't just any bride. Her parents own a logistics business that operates in the tri-state area. I'm still working on the phone logs, boss." He took a long drink from his coffee and sighed.

Tony stood up. "Nothing unusual with financials, everything jives with an Admirals monthly salary, and no problems with neighbors. A pretty college graduate with a degree in English." He grimaced. "Why would she marry a man old enough to be her father?" He paused. "That's gotta break a rule somewhere."

Gibbs glared at DiNozzo coldly.

Tony winced lowering his notepad. "Sorry, thinking out loud. Won't happen again, boss."

Gibbs was not in a good mood this morning. "See that it doesn't, DiNozzo."

Tim lifted his head. "They were married less than three weeks according to their license registered the day after the official ceremony. The ceremony was on a Sunday and the office didn't open till the next day. It seems they just got back from their honeymoon in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico last week. He wasn't due back to work until yesterday."

Tony added. "No one reported him missing since he only officially missed one day of work. His co-workers thought he took an extra day to recover."

"He was well liked by his colleagues and friends." Ziva looked through her notes. "No one had a bad thing to say about him and his new wife. Except…"

Gibbs got impatient. "Except what?"

Ziva hesitated. "They were all mystified that he married a woman so much younger than himself. It appears the decision to wed and hold the wedding in DC was all last minute." But she paused confused. "I don't think a month ahead of time could be considered last minute."

Gibbs ignored that more agitated than before. "Evidence?"

Tony answered. "It's with Abby."

Gibbs paused as he stood up behind his desk. "Abby's back?"

Tim looked up. "On hiatus from the Perfecto case, boss. She's only here for a few days running samples with Hach."

"It's been tough case for her." Ziva wondered why Gibbs was in such a bad mood.

"DiNozzo, Ziva, inform the Hacket and Johnson families."

"Navy asked if they could take care of that." Tony appeared solemn. "They want us to focus on finding the bastard who did this."

Gibbs nodded and left the Gibbs Den of the Squad Room.

Ziva and Tim appeared concerned that their boss appeared distracted. Neither had seen Gibbs like this in a while but they suspected since they were on a case drought the last two weeks, he was making something in the basement. However, the usual withdrawal from a heavy work load was well known and this was nothing like his usual withdrawals. What was going on? No one would actually ask Gibbs since he never liked to share his feelings. Whatever it was, Gibbs needed to figure it out in his own way.

Tony looked between McGee and Ziva. "Wow, he's really bit…" Then thought better of completing his sentence. "It's been a while since we had a case."

Ziva frowned at Tony. "Work withdrawal?"

Tony shrugged opening his arms wide. "When have you known him to be idle?"

Tim nodded agreeing silently.

**Chapter Five**

Ducky examined the body with slow and cautious precision. He looked up at the Gibbs walking into autopsy. It had only been a few hours since they all got the call. It was an early day but there was something eating away at Jethro. He could see it in his face.

"What have you got?" Gibbs knew he was irritable and his team was suffering.

Ducky would wait until Jethro came to him. "Our victims died from a series of stab wound consistent around a radial pattern."

Gibbs paused at the sight of the Admiral face down. "What does that look like to you, Duck?"

He knew exactly what it was. "A swastika."

Gibbs frowned. "Nazi?"

Ducky straightened. "The swastika was used by more than just the Nazi's, Jethro. It's strange that most people only associate the swastika with the negative actions of Germany during World War two."

Gibbs knew he was not himself. "Why a swastika?"

Ducky smiled. "It's from the Sanskrit word 'svastika' meaning 'any lucky or auspicious object'. In parts of the world, namely in areas who practice Buddism and some Hindu's, the swastika is believed to be a good luck symbol. Then there's another possibility." He needed a breath. "The 'su' means good or well that translates to the English as the letters 's' and 'w', the 'asti' means 'to be' and the 'ka' is believed to intensify the verbal meaning giving way to the belief that the word 'swastika' once referred to one's 'wellbeing'."

Gibbs looked up then. "Your point, Duck?"

Ducky shrugged. "It could have any number of meanings to the killer. I've yet to complete my examination before I delve into the depths of the killer's mind, Jethro." He paused on purpose. "Protocols come first, you see."

Gibbs finally had something to think about. "But why leave it on the victims back?"

Ducky would begin his psychological profile while he completed the examination. "It represents something important to the killer. Admiral Hacket and his wife never felt the stabs. I believe they were drugged before they died. Abby will be able to verify that in the tox screen."

Gibbs' thoughts started running. "They were dead when the swastika's were made?"

Ducky could offer no descriptions since his examination of the victims were in its infancy stage. "Nothing that left physical traces. Abby's your best bet at this point."

Gibbs left autopsy in a slightly better mood then when he arrived. It was his idleness that had irked him these last two weeks. Now that they had a case, he could concentrate on something else but the Reaper, NCIS and his team.

**Chapter Six**

There were no Christmas decorations in the Forensics Lab. Abby refused to bring any cheer to her lab until it was back to normal. Which at this stage would not be, at least, for another month or so. Gibbs strode into the forensics lab still under construction with his coffee in hand. The caffeine was beginning to take effect. He ignored the glass enclosure and the open wall now missing its pipes. He stopped asking when the wall would be repaired, never getting a straight answer.

"What have you got, Abs?" He stopped when he reached Abby standing at her workstation.

She appeared disappointed wearing all black during her campaign to get her lab returned to its usual order. "Wow! No, welcome back for me, Gibbs?"

Gibbs paused then looked at her. "You're back."

"How did you know?" Gibbs stare made her self-conscious so Abby continued. "Alright, I'm waiting for more evidence that might come in on Perfecto. I couldn't waste time just hanging around doing nothing in a town where I didn't know anyone. I didn't feel safe there…in that place. I have to keep busy when I'm on a big case."

Gibbs sighed. "So once you find another victim, you'll be off again?"

Abby pressed her lips together. "I hate it when you say it like that, Gibbs. It's so sad to know someone has to die just so I can analyze his leftovers. But I feel I'm close, Gibbs." She clenched both fists and narrowed her eyes. "Real close."

He gave in to the small talk. "I can see it bothers you that you can't find him. It happens."

Abby said sadly. "Yeah."

Gibbs slipped an arm around her shoulders and squeezed. Abby hugged Gibbs tightly needing the comfort since Hach was gone until later today. She sighed then pulled away as her mood appeared happier. She returned to her computer.

"You miss me?" Abby asked brightly.

Gibbs nodded. "Oh yeah."

Abby paused. "You don't like, Hach?"

Gibbs wanted to avoid talking about Hature. "Abs."

She could tell he was conflicted. "Fine!" Abby would confer with Tony, Ziva, and Tim later anyway for updates. "You're not going to like this either. Both victims were clean. No prints, no extraneous debris, no fibers and nothing to lead us to the killer, Gibbs. All I found was material consistent with the vegetation from the crime scene where the bodies were found."

Gibbs focused on the screen. "He cleaned them before dropping the bodies?"

She nodded. "Cleanest victims I've ever seen. But yeah, something like that."

Gibbs phone rang. He unhooked it and flipped it open while reading the plasma screen. "Gibbs." He paused. "Yes, sir."

Gibbs left the lab irritated.

Abby smiled as she tapped away on her keyboard. "He did miss me."

**Chapter Seven**

Gibbs stalked through the office appearing unhappy as he whizzed past Tim, dropped his phone off on his desk then flew past Tony. He circled around and climbed the stairs towards MTAC fast. McGee looked up from his desk and paused at the expression on his boss's face. Gibbs appeared to be in a better mood but now something else set him off.

"He doesn't look happy." Tim looked to Tony. "He's heading towards the Director's office."

"And he didn't take the elevator." Tony leaned back in his chair. "I'll say he's keeping Vance waiting longer than the Director wants to wait." He pondered to himself for a moment then said. "Wonder what the director wants Gibbs for."

Gibbs used the retinal scanner on the MTAC door.

"Nope, Director's in MTAC." Ziva arrived in the office in time to watch Gibbs disappear into MTAC. "He really looks even more angry. But not like before."

Tony placed his hands behind his head. "Guess he got over that 'idle' thing then."

Tim checked for like crimes in the database.

He looked for patterns fitting the description Ducky sent up. If there was any information, he wanted to include all of that into his request for more information. So far nothing popped up. Maybe he should try to look outside the military. If there were civilian cases that were similar, they would have more to go on.

**Chapter Eight**

In MTAC, Gibbs walked down the ramp. He stopped next to Leon Vance, sitting in the last chair next to the Director of NCIS. Leon Vance watched the military maneuvers on the large screen in front of them. There were any number of military operations under the command of NCIS on a given day and Leon appeared unconcerned with the one unfolding at the moment.

"Director, you wanted to see me?" Gibbs drank from his coffee.

Vance nodded. "I did. Tell me about you're current case."

Gibbs was unconvinced this was just a reporting visit. "Admiral Hackett and his wife were killed then stabbed in a radial pattern on their backs."

Vance looked up at Gibbs. "That's it?"

"The killer left nothing behind." He did not like it either but they had little to go on at the moment.

Not surprising, Leon considered the speed and precision Gibbs drilled into his team. "Cleanest crime scene you've ever seen, Gibbs?"

Gibbs paused to consider the Director. "You know something I don't know, Leon?"

Vance glanced at the large screen. "It's not the first time we've seen it. McGee downstairs just got several hits from civilian law enforcement linking like crimes."

He frowned. "First time for the Navy?"

Vance nodded. "Yes. The other victims were all civilian, over the period of two years. Now that one of ours went down, we're taking over the other cases."

Gibbs smirked. "The feds won't like we're peeing in the pool."

"Don't I know it." Vance refrained from smirking. "But I don't care about the feds right now. Secretary Jarvis is upset over losing an Admiral and wants you to handle the case personally from here."

Odd he was getting debriefed by the Director. "How many?" This was a first for him since his tenure began, Gibbs thought taking another drink of his coffee.

Vance leaned back. "Four couples all died within months of their wedding. Swastika's stabbed in their backs after death. And all were older men recently married to much younger women."

The answer was simple. "Someone's upset they got married."

Vance did not understand homicide. "Why?"

"I don't know." Was all Gibbs could say. "Could be an age thing."

Vance sighed silently. "Stay on it till you find this bastard."

"That's the plan." Gibbs was a bit confused as to why Vance called him up for a simple exchange of information.

Since Director Vance no longer needed him, Gibbs left MTAC.

**Chapter Nine**

Gibbs descended the stairs quickly despite his knee bothering him. There was a lot of ground to cover. If Vance was looking at this, apparently someone higher up wanted answers. But the case of a Swastika was hardly enough to warrant attention from the brass. Unless they thought the use of the Swastika had to do with terrorists targeting specific people. But the Director mentioned the older man marrying a much younger woman angle. Was it just because the last victim was an admiral or did it go deeper?

"DiNozzo!" Gibbs strode around the file cabinets by Tony's desk.

Tony got to his feet to report. "This email from the director mysteriously appeared on my computer, boss. Apparently, there are a number of couples in the tri-state area murdered within weeks to months of their wedding. Looking for common denominators between the couples, boss. Maybe they knew the same person or went to the same places."

Gibbs looked to Tim. "McGee?"

"I sent out a request for information when I got hit with the matching unsolved cases to ours. I'm still weeding through all the data, boss. Local LEO's collected a lot of data and there's a lot of interviews to go through. All the murders occurred within the DC and surrounding vicinity. That's as far as I've gotten."

Gibbs glanced around. "Where's Ziva?"

Tony looked to her desk and covered for her lunch date with the girls scheduled for today. "When the email came in, she went off on a lead."

Gibbs checked his watch and found it was around lunchtime. "Where'd she go?"

Tony shrugged but knew to be cautious. "She refused to tell me but since it's lunch time I imagine she's gone to get us some food too while she's out."

Gibbs grew suspicious.

**Chapter Ten**

Hach and Abby sat together at the table having lunch quietly discussing the recent murder of Admiral Hacket and Mrs. Camilla Johnson Hacket. An anxious Ziva joined them rather unexpectedly, pulling her chair out a bit too fast and sat down all too quickly. She looked around nervously then checked her watch.

Hach wondered if there would be a problem with them having lunch during the week. "You appear concerned, Agent David." She stopped to correct herself. "Ziva."

She nodded. "The case just got bigger."

Abby leaned forward to keep her voice down. "You mean there's more victims?"

Ziva nodded then checked her watch again. "Four more it seems, all civilian."

"We'll consider this a working lunch then." Hach frowned staring at her salad suspiciously. "What case is this?"

"That's the one we were just discussing?" Abby reminded Hach. "Admiral Hacket. He and his new wife were killed and a swastika was stabbed into their backs after death." Abby eyed her salad with hunger. "It's really sad. They only got married three weeks ago. They were just starting out their life together."

That struck a cord with Hach and she pulled her phone from her inside pocket. "An older man married a younger woman?" Her finger scrolled through her email looking for something specific.

"You know about the case?" Somehow Ziva was not surprised Hach had some connection.

Hach nodded. "Local LEO's from DC contacted me four months ago regarding a case like this, a cold case from the previous year. Detective Jake Rolston is an old friend of my college mentor. Their forensics lab was backed up and they needed rush analysis and wondered if we could help. I wasn't busy so he sent it my way."

Ziva felt less guilty about coming to lunch with Hach now that she knew something more about the case. "Anything revealing?"

Hach shrugged. "Nothing comes to mind of the analysis. My memory tells me it was the cleanest crime scene I've ever processed. Even more so than the Port-to-Port killings since the bodies were dumped within two hours of death. In my tenure, I've never seen anything like it. Whoever he is, he's methodical. He plans every step carefully even before he captures his targets."

"You think the killer studies his targets habits?" Abby stabbed a tomato. "I mean…he's killed couples not individuals. That makes it harder to pull off."

"I'm no psychologist but I might agree with you, Abby." Hach usually dealt with evidence, not the psychology of the crime. "What bothered Rolston was that there didn't seem to be any connection between the victims. What set the killer off? And there's months between the different couples."

The motive appeared simple to Ziva. "It made him angry they married?"

Abby agreed. "Killers usually keep their motives simple." She looked at Ziva. "How many killers have we caught who killed over something as simple as passion, or the person reminded them of someone they knew, or they hated someone, and my ultra favorite motive…money. They make it so easy for us to find them."

"There's only one method that appears to stick out from the list." Hach found the conversation rather stimulating, more so than she initially expected. "Easiest way to catch this killer is to bait and wait."

Ziva and Abby looked at Hach in surprise.

Hach found herself the center of attention and replied since the explanation seemed simple enough. "Just because I spend my days in a lab doesn't mean I don't read crime books." They would never understand otherwise, she realized. "From the sense of cleanliness of the crime scenes, I'd say he won't be leaving anything behind for us to find evidence-wise." She paused. "The only way to catch him is to stage the scene ourselves."

"But he plans them months at a time." Ziva pointed out.

Hach shook her head then turned to her phone and handed it to Ziva. "Look at the pattern. He plans the method not the choice of victims."

Ziva scrolled through the phone reading the small phrases Hach typed in when she learned of the crimes.

Abby froze leaning towards Ziva. "He's been killing them shortly after they marry." She remembered the like crimes from her search. "The first was nineteen months ago, after the honeymoon."

"The second couple died before they went on the honeymoon." Ziva remembered despite having been on the case only a few hours. "The third was taken just after their reception."

"It appears he's moving towards killing his targets closer and closer to the wedding itself." Hach took a bite of her salad. "You should plan than he's aiming to kill his victims as close to the wedding as he can. It's what sets him off in the first place."

Ziva and Abby smiled at one another across the table. Suddenly they needed to get back to the Navy Yard. They eagerly got Hach up and left the café after Hach left money on the table for partially eaten food.

**Chapter Eleven**

Gibbs, McGee and Tony stood side-by-side in front of the plasma. Various financials and travel papers scrolled up. Ziva and Abby nearly ran to Ziva's desk excitedly where she deposited her field bag to cover she went somewhere important.

Abby arrived with Ziva and smiled. "Gibbs!"

The three men turned to the excited women. DiNozzo appeared terrified, McGee looked surprised, and Gibbs stared at them unconcerned.

Tony stated snootily. "Nice of you to join us, Agent David."

Ziva narrowed her eyes at Tony. "Because Hach came up with an idea!"

That got Gibbs' attention. "About ?"

"The case." Ziva presented her hand then flipped it over to her palm. "Hach thinks that the killer won't ever leave anything behind to catch him. So we should try something else."

Gibbs hated guessing games. "What should we try, Ziva?"

Abby appeared all too happy for her usual dark persona. "We should set a trap! NCIS can put on a bogus wedding to draw out the killer!"

Tony threw his head back and laughed out loud then settled into a serious expression after a few moments. "Oh, you were serious." Then he waved Ziva and Abby off. "That'll never work."

"Actually, I disagree with you, Agent DiNozzo." Vance spoke flatly. "Hach might have a point."

Tony jumped at the voice, quickly running for his desk. Tim turned to look at Director Vance currently standing behind Gibbs holding onto Dr. Hature's arm. She appeared more angry than happy over her participation. Vance let Hach go and she walked towards McGee. Gibbs stepped towards the plasma and turned to look at Vance.

Hach glared at Abby and Ziva who become nervous under her stare. "I'd have preferred to be left out of this."

Abby's mouth gaped. "But it was your idea!"

"Trust me." Hach's glare softened at Abby. "I'm okay with that one being stolen."

Vance pushed his hands into his pockets. "So, Agent David. What have you in mind?" He looked between the two women. "Clearly you and Miss Sciuto appear rather excited at the prospect."

Everything became so clear on their way back to the office, Ziva forgot to put further thought into the execution. "Stage a wedding, sir. It's the only way to lure the killer out. He's left no clues at any of the crime scenes according to the local LEO's." An idea just occurred to her. "He must've chosen his victims through the wedding announcements in the papers."

Tim nodded since he looked up that angle already. "According to the files we received on like crimes, all the couples did place wedding announcements in the local papers. I can find out which papers they used, what churches they used, and reception facilities."

"Staging a wedding?" Vance appeared unconvinced. "That's a little far fetched, Agent David."

Hach looked to the Director as if to challenge him. "You have a better idea, Director?" She wanted to make a point. "The last couple didn't make it to their wedding night. You can run it past Dr. Mallard but I'm sure he's caught onto the pattern just as I have. There's not much evidence to go on currently."

Leon Vance's jaw tightened.

Gibbs had to step in. "Dr. Hature has a point." Her eyes narrowed at her name. "Setting a trap might be the fastest way to catching this killer."

Leon knew a good idea when he heard one but he did not like Hach challenging him openly. "It's clear he's killed before and will again." Now came the fun part, Vance decided. "And who do you know who can pull it off?"

Tony pointed towards Gibbs. "Gibbs fits the profile." He felt the ice-cold blue eyes turn on him. "Sorry, boss. But it's true and we all know it."

Tim and Ziva both smiled as Tony grimaced under Gibbs steely gaze and moved towards the Director for protection. Not that it would make much difference. Vance would just move if Gibbs decided to shoot DiNozzo anyway.

Abby appeared insulted. "He's not that old, geez, Tony!"

Vance disagreed. "Old enough to make it work."

Gibbs winced at the innuendo.

It was her first guess but Ziva did not want to undermine what tender, if limited, relationship she had with Hach. "I can do it."

Vance pointed out. "Unfortunately you don't fit the profile, Agent David."

"But I can…" Ziva was mostly good on the fly.

"It's not about age, Agent David." Vance shook his head. "All the victims were Caucasian." He paused. "No insult intended. But a killer's not going to change his MO."

He knew it was pointless but Tim had to try. "What about Abby?"

Abby's mouth gaped open and appeared flabbergasted at the thought of having to 'pretend marry' her father figure, Gibbs. She narrowed her eyes and glared at McGee.

"McGee! You know I can't lie!" She gestured to all of her. "You really think the killer's going to believe me marrying Gibbs?" Abby paused then looked to Gibbs. "I have way too much respect for you. Sorry."

Tony smirked waiting for payback. "What about Hach?"

Everyone looked at Tony.

"There is no 'what about Hach', Agent DiNozzo." Hach sent a warning glare DiNozzo's way.

Vance countered. "Let's hear him out first before we dismiss him, doctor."

She turned to walk out of the office but Vance stopped that calculated retreat, blocking off her egress route. He took the time to study her as she glared at him.

Tony pushed his hands into his pockets suddenly happy but also treading a thin line. "Yeah, she's older than Ziva but she sure doesn't look like it, does she? Put her next to Gibbs, it jives."

Hach went cold turning back towards the team. "Be careful what you say, Agent DiNozzo."

Gibbs was mildly amused though his face was blank.

Tony knew he made a point people were already considering anyway, otherwise they would have shot the idea down already. "It only makes sense. Neither Ziva or Abby could pull it off." He paused and shook his head. "Sorry, Abs, it's Gibbs. That would be crossing a line for you."

Abby sighed in relief. "Thanks, Tony."

He walked towards Hach who dared him to come closer, so he kept his distance. "Hach is our only candidate."

Hach folded her arms. "I don't do field work."

Vance looked sternly down at her. "Don't think I won't activate Clause 51.10.10." He smirked on purpose. "Since you were so kind to think of this 'bait and wait' out the killer."

"Who told you about 51.10.10?" Hach wanted to know. "It's not in my record."

McGee and Abby exchanged a quick glance. Ziva and Tony exchanged a quick look before settling on Director Vance. Curiosities were peaked in the group about this Clause 51.10.10. Gibbs noted the exchange and sighed but there was no alternative.

"Call it Director's prerogative." Vance liked having an advantage over Hach every once in a while. "The clause allows your status to be reinstated. Plus, I'm the Director." He paused and glanced at Gibbs who appeared rather silent at this operation brainstorm. "I'm supposed to know everything about my people."

"Crying shame you don't." Hach wanted to strangle Vance then left without looking back.

Satisfied, Vance turned to Gibbs' team. "Agent Gibbs, get with your team and hash out a plan to catch this bastard."

Ziva noticed Hach was gone. "What about Hach?"

"She'll cooperate, eventually." Vance smirked then. "She knows what'll happen if she doesn't obey Clause 51.10.10."

Tony wanted to know. "What's clause 51.10.10?"

Director Vance looked to each member of the team. "Director's prerogative, Agent DiNozzo."

Tony finished. "Which means none of my business."

Vance nodded at the smart agent. "I'll handle Hach if she gives you any problems." He looked to Gibbs. "Get your people cracking before the killer finds another couple before us."

Vance left the Squad Room and headed towards the stairs. Gibbs looked after Vance, who paused and nodded at him. Gibbs hesitated then followed behind the Director towards his office on the fourth floor.

**Chapter Twelve**

Gibbs followed Vance into his office. He hesitated before he closed the door slowly behind them. He wanted to clear his head before he asked questions regarding Dr. Hature. Leon Vance chose to stand for this exchange, standing next to the conference table. Gibbs crossed with calculated footsteps towards Vance biding his time before they spoke.

"What are you hiding about Hature, Leon?" He knew what Clause 51.10.10 meant. "When was she an agent?"

"Need to know basis, Agent Gibbs." Vance knew he could divulge nothing of what he found out only recently. "You aren't one of the privileged around here."

"I see that." Gibbs was suspicious. "Then she has something on you."

"No." Vance knew Hach could get whatever she wanted on him. "Because she down right scares me. But NCIS requires her services."

"Why?"

"She doesn't know just how scary she really is." Vance paused. "It's part of her charm. People as smart as she is also know how to cover their tracks. I can't touch her legally unless she's an agent, even a temporary one. I get her under my microscope, I can find out more about her."

"Is that why you let her transfer here?" Gibbs noted the glimmer in Vance's eyes.

"Director Shepard wanted Hach here in DC during her tenure." Vance looked directly at Gibbs. "She out right refused. I was sent three times to change Hach's mind about coming to DC. I failed all three times."

"Jenny asked you to do this?" Gibbs knew Jenny Shepard had her motives for moving people around during her three years as Director of NCIS.

"Hach wouldn't budge." Vance knew a cat-fight when he saw one. "And she was quite vocal about it. Those two hated each other. More Hach's side than Shepard from what I gathered."

Gibbs clenched his fists to channel his agitation. "Is Hature a threat to my team?"

Vance wondered that himself. "I doubt it. One thing she's not is malicious unless you incur her wrath."

"How do you know that?

"Director's need to know." Vance knew Gibbs did not trust her completely yet. "Now if you'll excuse me. I have several things I need to address before I meet with Secretary Jarvis in a half hour to get her status formally changed to agent."

Gibbs hesitated before he left the Director's office with more questions than answers.

**Chapter Thirteen**

Abby sat with Ziva at the office computer going over details for the upcoming operation. Though it was an NCIS operation, it had to appear as the real deal otherwise the killer might sniff a stakeout and take off before they could nab him. That would put other happy couples at risk. Photos of wedding dresses flashed across the computer screen.

Abby eyes each dress as if they were evidence. "Ooh, I like this one!"

"Abby, it's black!" Ziva laughed clicking the mouse to run through another queue of dresses. "This has to be a traditional western wedding. The killer has to believe it's real."

Abby saddened. "Hach certainly was unhappy Director Vance played the Clause 51.10.10 card. I wonder when she was an agent? She never mentioned it to me. Did she mention it to you?"

"So Clause 51.10.10 means she used to be an agent." Ziva was not as close to Hach as Abby. "It could have been at any time. She did mention she's been with NCIS for 18 years once."

Shaking her head, Abby tried to focus on the task. "It's gotta be part of the contract she signed with NCIS."

Ziva did not remember anything like that when she signed on. "Did you sign one as well?"

"No." Abby did not need to sign one. "Those are only for highly classified consultants with NCIS."

Ziva did not understand the difference. "Then why is she a forensic technician?"

She frowned then looked at Ziva partly surprised. "Hach is the official Director of Forensics of all of NCIS, not a lowly technician." She paused as more dresses flashed across the screen and were dismissed just as quickly. "She's got four PhD's, Ziva." Then paused again. "Okay, back to the operation. Here's some more wedding dresses."

She paused. "You know, there's a few dresses that were confiscated down in evidence." Ziva got to her feet. "Maybe we could borrow one. That would save us some money."

"Vance would scoff at us buying anything over 1,000 dollars." Abby shot out of her seat towards the door. "I love field trips!"

Ziva had to run to catch up.

**Chapter Fourteen**

McGee sat at his computer looking for clues. It was odd that when the morning started, no one would have guessed that a wedding would be in the planning stages by the afternoon. Strange how things worked out, he thought as more lines of data passed yielding nothing useful. Hach appeared overly aggravated at 'Clause 51.10.10' being dangled in front of her face to get her cooperation. Abby would find out what Clause 51.10.10. was for everyone on the team.

Tim perked his head and looked over to Tony. "You really think Gibbs'll go for this whole fake wedding thing?"

Tony thought the idea was crazy when he first heard. "We're chasing a killer, McGee. He'll be willing to do almost anything to catch this dirt bag. Besides, Gibbs' been married three times before. I'm sure he knows what to do to make look it genuine and pull it off." Tony smiled then. "He's the master of marriage ceremonies."

"He's been married four times, Tony." Tim corrected.

Tony smiled again. "But only three are causing him headaches."

Suddenly Tim got nervous. "He'll need to be convincing. You really think he can pretend he's in love with Hach?"

Tony shook his head. "I'm more worried about her than him."

Tim looked perplexed. "Why's that?"

"She looked more terrified than he did." And that made Tony DiNozzo very happy today.

Hach took an instant dislike to DiNozzo when Tony tried to sweet talk her when she first arrived after her transfer. It seemed like ages ago but he found her whole attitude towards him unsettling. Part of him liked that she could handle Gibbs. But she did not have to be so snooty showing off just how smart she was all the time.

It was true.

Dr. Guinevere Hature, the Little Doc, intimidated very Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo Junior.

TO BE CONTINUED…


	35. Episode 12: Swastika Part 2

**NCIS Season 9**

**Episode 9.12.2**

**Swastika**

**By: Lady JenDragon**

**Disclaimer: **NCIS is not my idea, yeah, okay I feel better for saying it. Carrying on.

**Author's Notes: **Let me know what you think!

* * *

**SWASTIKA**

**PART TWO**

**Chapter Fifteen**

Ziva walked into Abby's laboratory later that afternoon. She looked agitated and overly exerted. Since the dresses in evidence were unusable, Ziva went to Hach with some ideas. That was now the problem.

Abby turned from her computer workstation. "What's wrong?"

"I need your help." Ziva was frustrated.

"Sure! With what?" Abby left the computer to do its thing.

Ziva sighed deeply. "Apparently, Hach has a problem with dresses."

"Really?" Abby frowned. "What woman doesn't like dresses?"

"I thought every woman loved dresses!" Ziva wanted to scream. "Well, Hach apparently has never worn a dress in her life and refuses to wear one now."

"Oh, is that all?" Abby smirked.

She left Ziva where she stood and walked towards the office. In her office, she rounded her desk. Abby opened the right side of her desk and pulled out a taser, closing the drawer gently. Rejoining Ziva, Abby thrust her arm around Ziva's and turned them towards the door.

Abby was resolute. "Alright, time for Operation Bride!"

"I'd thought we'd just use Director Vance." Ziva smiled at the sentiment.

"That'll work too." Abby smiled too. "Let's go see what this does first."

Abby and Ziva left the laboratory together as a united front.

**Chapter Sixteen**

When Abby and Ziva cornered her in the cafeteria with the taser she figured she should cooperate a little. Abby with a taser was a sentiment she appreciated. However, knowing Director Vance would be ready to reprimand her once the 'Clause 51.10.10' status came through officially, it was best to give into their demands to try a few dresses on.

The store was quite a scene she never imagined she would ever enter. However, for the sake of the operation, this needed to be handled maturely. The ladies kept bringing out dresses in the 1,000 dollar range. And none were suitable for her figure. A woman who wanted to marry would look her best. That meant she had to get into the spirit of the situation.

Stella, a vibrant 25-year old, with cropped brown hair, green eyes, and a wide smile stood eyeing every curve. She wore a pink suit with matching pumps as she worked with the threesome looking for dresses priced low for the sake of NCIS's budget. However, Hach found an issue with the dresses in this range. None fit her properly.

Hach whined silently looking in the mirror hating the reflection. Not that she paid attention to her reflection often. Her expression reflected irritation and agony in wearing the current dress. Not because it fit her poorly but because it was a dress. She never wore one before in public on purpose. She wore one every once in a while around the house but no one saw her then. The lacy wedding dress was horribly cut and did nothing for her.

Ziva and Abby both appeared overwhelmed. They were just as frustrated as Hach apparently was. Who knew this would take so long? Her hair was slightly haphazard and out of place as Ziva flattened on the sofa.

"It's worse than the last one." Ziva said finally. "Surprisingly."

Hach signaled the women waiting for their next command. "I don't appreciate your terms of engagement, Abby. It was low and quite unnecessary, however amusing you would consider Tazing me into cooperation."

Ziva piped in. "Whatever it takes to get this thing off without a hitch, Hach."

"Well." Abby shrugged and added. "You weren't cooperating."

Stella walked up with another dress from the $1,000 range. Hach took one look at it and shook her head. She pointed at a rack of dresses above the $50,000 range and motioned for them to bring several over. Stella and her co-workers eyes popped wide open.

"But we're willing to go to the Big Guy if you don't cooperate." Ziva said defiantly. "All you had to do was play along."

"Your intention is understood." Hach decided she had enough of this dress. "I just…hate dresses."

Hach returned to the dressing rooms to try on the dress she eyed since she came into the store. If she bought it, she could donate it to someone who needed a wedding dress afterwards. Two birds with one stone and she could claim it as a tax deduction.

"Why?" Abby called out. "Every woman dreams of her wedding."

Hach sighed as Stella helped her into the next dress and muttered. "Not every woman."

As soon as the dress was on and zipped up, Hach found herself staring at her image. Remarkable, the dress did exactly what a dress should do for a woman. That included highlight all her features and hide all of her flaws. Even Stella gave it an approving smile. Hach decided it was time to get this over with. She walked out to greet a tired and frustrated Ziva and Abby.

Both Abby and Ziva froze where they sat. It was a rare moment to get both women to shut up when they were together. Though not the sleep-over pals she normally befriended, Hach admitted it was nice to have their opinion.

"Wow!" Ziva stood up and circled Hach.

"You look amazing!" Abby agreed. "His jaw's going to drop when he sees you in this!"

"Good ." Hach was satisfied with the choice and commented to Stella to bring her the bill directly. "Now get me out of it."

Hach turned her back to Ziva and Abby to go get out of wretched dress. She hoped this would at least give them a chance to get better acquainted. Besides, she had a meeting with Vance in an hour. If her agent status came through already, she wanted to discuss options.

**Chapter Seventeen**

Hach brewed in the elevator from the basement upon their return from the dressmakers. Bridal shop, she was corrected, but refused to give into the term.

She muttered. "Wedding indeed."

Reaching the fourth floor of headquarters, the doors opened to Agent Gibbs standing with his coffee. They looked at one another in silence. She went to step out but Gibbs blocked her way.

Hach looked at him. "I have a meeting with Vance."

He backed her into the elevator and waited just inside the doors. Gibbs only stared at her until the elevator doors shut. He pressed the first floor button and waited for the elevator to start moving.

Hach wondered what he was up to with his intimidation tactics. She refused to give in and show him any emotion. She waited for a moment then checked the elevator indicator showing what level they were on now. Hach frowned in irritation.

"Whatever you're trying to do, it won't work on me, Agent Gibbs." Hach would stand her ground.

He reached outward and pulled the emergency shut-off switch. The lights in the elevator turned off and the dim emergency lights turned on. Gibbs continued to stare at her as he took a step forward. She met him going backward until she ran into the wall. Then Hach stepped forward to meet him toe-to-toe.

Gibbs needed to know he could trust her. "Why did you lose your agent's status?"

And he would keep asking until he got the story one-way or the other. Someday, she would cave and the truth would come out. No one knew the background and the data files were deemed classified above his pay-grade. Tim had difficulty even trying to hack into the hacked files, as he called them. Files he hacked previously and saved the route he took in to do it. Or something like that.

"You know I can't tell you." Hach never lied about this kind of stuff. "Does it bother you that I have a higher security clearance than you?" He said nothing so she inquired. "You always use intimidation to get your way?"

He smirked. "Whatever works."

He leaned towards Hach, placing his free hand on the wall of the elevator behind her. This allowed his face to linger close to hers. Hach tilted her head to the side to give them more space then frowned.

"What are you doing?"

Gibbs smiled at that moment. "Practicing."

"I have no intention of allowing you to touch me at NCIS." Hach took a step back and found the wall again. "I suggest we take this up at another time."

His arm coffee-free slid around her waist holding her in place. Hach glanced down at his action then looked up at him. Gibbs hesitated before pressing his lips to hers. It was a quick peck that left her feeling more annoyed that he ignored her request to keep things outwardly platonic while at the office. Gibbs let her go suddenly, leaving Hach to fall against the elevator wall.

She straightened her clothes unnecessarily. "Why is it always about you?"

He smiled and turned then flicked the elevator back to operation mode. The doors opened immediately on Level 3. Gibbs exited in a good mood. Hach stood there annoyed as the doors to the elevator closed realizing she was more ruffled than she openly admitted.

She stayed against the wall then pushed a hand through her hair. She took an extra moment to steady herself then pressed the button for the 4th floor realizing the elevator was going down to the first floor. She took a depth breath and waited out the personal humiliation.

**Chapter Eighteen**

Gibbs entered autopsy smiling while he finished his large coffee. He tossed the empty cup into the wastebasket as he passed. Ducky looked up from the papers spread out over the examination table noting his change of mood.

"I see someone's in a good mood."

"Just had a meeting with Dr. Hature." Gibbs felt he had something over the doctor now.

"Giving her pointers for the up coming operation, are we?" Ducky knew what he meant. "Abby tells me the dress they chose today fits Hach rather well."

Gibbs looked alarmed. "Dress?"

"Wedding dress." Ducky chuckled. "I'd think you'd know more about those than I do."

"It's a not a real wedding, Duck."

Ducky shook his head at Jethro's ignorance. "Still, Abby and Ziva are extremely excited. I've never seen them…so excited." It was almost scary. "It appears women love planning the details of such occasions. How is Dr. Hature dealing with being strong-armed?"

"She appears fine." He wondered what Ducky was seeking.

"I forgot to whom I'm talking to." Ducky gave Jethro a sly smile. "So what brings you to see me? Abby has everything and the bodies have been released to the families."

"Profile." Gibbs realized he felt better than good. "You've had a chance to look at the other cases."

Ducky got down to being serious. "Our killer's quite methodical. In fact, I'd say he was almost pathological. He plans with extreme precision." Ducky paused to look at Jethro. "This has been our year for serial killers, hasn't it?"

"Seems like it." Gibbs agreed. "So he chooses his victims weeks in advance?"

"I don't think so. He plans his methods yes. But there's a sense of excitement he gets from finding his victims randomly." He shifted some of the papers in his desk. "His first kills were Mr. and Mrs. Rollins. He was sixty and she was thirty. Their announcement in the newspapers was placed only a week in advance. They left on their honeymoon immediately following the nuptials." Ducky lifted a single paper. "They were surprised the night they arrived home. The second victims were surprised just after their reception, in the wedding suite. They went missing and were found almost a week later."

Gibbs frowned. "He knew how to get to them. Someone who knows weddings? Or plans them? Coordinates the running of a wedding?"

"A planner or coordinator?" Ducky nodded. "Maybe, but he would have more time to pick and choose and only from those who pay him for his services."

"Someone who knows someone in the business?"

"McGee found no link between any of the victims." Ducky knew Jethro was already looking at angles. "They all used different venues and wedding planners and/or wedding coordinators. Has the announcement for our affair been placed?"

"Not yet." It had to be specifically written, Gibbs thought. "It's going in tomorrow morning for ours in two weeks. I wanted your input before Ziva submitted it."

"Good, good. I think it would be good to make it appear that things will work in our killers favor. He might just surprise us with changing how quickly he makes his move after the vows are exchanged." He paused. "I understand Agent Keller's doing the ceremony."

He rolled his eyes. "Does everyone know what's going on, Duck?"

"How often is it that Jethro Gibbs is involved in a wedding?" Ducky smiled at Gibbs silence. "Real or fake?" He paused then continued. "Agent Keller's a minister as I understand it."

Gibbs wanted to be out of this conversation. "We want to make sure it looks legit. Get me that announcement by tomorrow."

Gibbs left autopsy in a bad mood.

Ducky smiled then. "Guess he's a little nervous after all."

**Chapter Nineteen**

Hach stood in Vance's office watching the Director with a cool face. So there were terms to this agent status reinstatement. Of course there were, she concluded this before reaching his office. However, to rationalize their fear with limitations of her activities while she was in 'agent' status was a bit insulting.

"Why have you done this?"

"To keep you honest in my eyes." Vance knew Hach understood most things except human nature. "Gibbs doesn't trust you and neither do I."

"I have done everything to aid his investigations and yours since I arrived." Hach turned steely towards the Director. "And yet it is I who is deemed untrustworthy."

Vance said nothing immediately. "You don't trust us."

"Of course not." Hach was honest in that response. "You've done nothing to assure me otherwise. My records are sealed for a reason, just as yours and Gibbs' are."

"If you want your status back, this is what you have to do." Vance would not accept less.

"Then keep my agent status." Hach turned towards the door and walked to it. "It's not worth it for me to be restricted when other agents aren't."

Vance smiled. "I don't need you to sign the deal to make you an agent."

Hach turned at the door. "This was a test?"

He nodded. "If you were a mole, you would've jumped at the chance without question." He paused. "That doesn't mean I completely trust you either. You've got a lot of secrets, Dr. Hature."

"As do you, Director." She lifted her chin. "I just happen to have more invested in mine."

"I suggest you keep them that way." Vance sat down at the conference table. "As for Gibbs, he's more pushy than I am."

"I can handle him." Hach was positive of that as long as she avoided kissing him.

That moment in the elevator taught her a few things. One, Gibbs was a dangerous agent when he was determined. Two, he found her far too interesting to be comfortable. The look in his eyes told her everything she needed to know about that. Three, judging from her physical response to their 'practice', distance would be ideal between them once this case wrapped. Being temporary had its privileges.

"I think you underestimate Agent Gibbs' capabilities." Vance changed the subject. "Have you and Gibbs worked out your differences for this Operation Swastika?"

"I think he thinks so." Hach responded evenly. "His way of handling things are nothing I am used to but I believe we will iron them out shortly. It all comes down to psychological preparation. I will be ready by the ceremony, Director."

"Be sure you are, Agent Hature." Vance added. "I'd practice if I were you."

Hach left the Director's office with a little more respect for Leon Vance but perplexed by what he meant as 'practice'. Shaking her head, Hach realized his meaning was simple. Clearly Gibbs and she would need to become comfortable with one another to pull off the operation. Practicing did make sense in the grand scheme of things. She should bring it up to Agent Gibbs.

"Practice." She whispered to herself.

The fact she received her agent status back was worth the effort. If she had to falsely marry Agent McGee to get it back, she would have done so as well. Agent DiNozzo, well, maybe she would consider leaving NCIS altogether to avoid that possibility.

**Chapter Twenty**

Ziva sat at Abby's desk in the forensics lab sifting through ribbons and flower magazines. She wanted something ornate but nothing expensive. There was no reception though a dummy hall was booked in case the killer would scope out the reception. The owner knew the drill. Still, she had issues with the flowers and the look of the church using fabric.

Gibbs walked into the lab with a Caf-Pow for Abby who was absent. He set it down by her computer at the workstation and found Ziva sitting in the office. He walked over curious as to the magazine laid out before her. Clearly she was frustrated.

"Ziva." Gibbs looked at her frustrated expression.

She looked up at Gibbs. "I hope I never get married. This is insane! How are you supposed to keep everything straight? What color matches with this? What doesn't go with that! What meaning does this flower have?" Ziva wanted to burn the magazine.

Gibbs chuckled then leaned forward. He chose the sage colored green ribbon with white vase, and the arrangement of white roses, very light pink dyed Mums, and a light pink Stargazer Lilies for the bride's bouquet. Ziva watched him as he did this, realizing it made sense.

"That's much better." Ziva had to admit it could work.

Gibbs shrugged. "I'd recommend sage green bridesmaid's dresses."

"Bridesmaids?" Ziva's eyes widened. "Dresses! I knew I forgot something!" She packed up the magazines quickly and ran out of the lab.

Gibbs smiled then headed out himself shaking his head.

**Chapter Twenty-One**

The week passed quickly enough with everyone except Abby and Ziva delving into the past lives of the previous victims. Not even Hach found anything useful in the records or with the evidence collected by the local LEOs covering each case. Gibbs returned to spending hours in his basement while his team tried to trace anything left by the killer.

And the media were already on board calling him the 'Swastika Killer'.

The Feds were crying since NCIS claimed jurisdiction with Admiral Hacket. Other agents were interviewing the families and friends of the victims since the female side of Gibbs' team was preparing for the operation. Thus far, Vance was not entirely encouraged that this 'wedding' would nabbed them the killer. Others at the Navy Yard were anticipating the NCIS wedding just before Christmas.

Tim McGee could find nothing that stood out that linked the victims. He knew that the operation was being meticulously planned at the moment by Abby and Ziva. Mostly Ziva since Abby had the darker tendencies and she was in charge. Still, someone had to do more digging into these victim's lives that could point towards to how the killer found them. All they had was speculation at this point.

The morning started off bright and sunny but remarkably cold.

Tony strode into the office heading straight for McGee and his desk. "Is it me or is Hach avoiding us lately?"

Tim did not look up but responded. "Can't say I blame her." He glanced at Tony over his screen. "You did volunteer her for Operation Swastika."

"Secretly, she wanted to be part of Team Gibbs." Tony waved Hach off. "Besides, she's more Gibbs age anyway."

Tim was aghast. "She's not that old."

Tony grew serious. "She's older than me." He paused to smile. "That's all that counts." He turned serious. "Abby or Ziva tell you what they're planning yet?"

Tim shook his head. "Should I care?"

"They haven't said who's going to be best man yet." Tony nodded, smiling widely, leaning on McGee's desk. "It's going to be me." He pointed at himself. "I put the word in."

Tim stopped typing to look at Tony. "That's a little juvenile, Tony." He smiled watching Gibbs walk into the Squad Room and silently up behind Tony. "I thought the groom chooses the best man, not the bridesmaids?"

Gibbs took a long gulp from his coffee while he stared at the back of DiNozzo's head then said firmly. "McGee, your best man."

Tony jumped sideways to find the boss behind him.

"Thanks, boss." Tim smiled widely at Tony then winked tapping on his keyboard.

Tony jerked his head towards Gibbs broken hearted and straightened. "But boss…"

Gibbs eyed DiNozzo. "Tim's the only one working."

Tony ran to his desk and sat down.

Tim laughed silently at Tony and returned to his keyboard looking for that one piece of information that would narrow down the killer. Then he made the realization. "You know, all the churches the couples got married at are within a five mile radius of each other?"

Gibbs stopped to look at McGee. "Where's the church we're using?"

"Smack dab in the middle of them." Tim wondered if Abby or Ziva were aware of this? "Agent Keller's been attending the church with the pastor to make his presence known ahead of time. The pastor's is listed as performing the marriage but will get sick that morning. He's acting as the new priest sent to St. Luke's so if the killer's canvassing the place, he doesn't look out of place."

"Good idea, Tim." Gibbs nodded towards McGee.

"Not mine." He shrugged. "Hach recommended it."

"That darn, Hach." Tony commented from his desk, sulking.

Gibbs remained expressionless eyeing the map. His phone went off, catching his attention. Flipping it open, Gibbs found he was being summoned to the Director's office. What was going on now?

**Chapter Twenty-Two**

Gibbs entered Vance's office, closing the door quietly since he was on the phone. The conversation was short as the phone was going down onto the receiver when he arrived at Vance's desk. The Director stood up at that moment.

"Dr. Hature has her agent status reinstated."

Gibbs knew better. "You asked me here to tell me that, Leon?"

"I also mentioned you two should practice liking each other." Vance wondered how much advice Gibbs would take. "She's not field tested the way I want, so I'm not sure giving her agent status back was a good idea."

"Agent Hature knows what needs to be done." Gibbs wondered if they could pull it off.

What he had was no idea since she kept her relationships secret. No one at NCIS knew anything about her except what little that could be found on the Internet about her patents and the business where those patents produced a multitude of various equipment used by the military and the medical field.

"You two need to be almost perfect." Vance was skeptical. "You I trust."

Gibbs looked to Leon. "You think she'll blow this chance as an agent?"

"I'm not sure what to expect." Vance hated being unsure. "Those who vouch for her swear on their lives she's good." Vance hated the idea of using a bogus wedding to lure a killer in for capture. "Miss Sciuto was unable to find any evidence linking anyone to the crimes. Every avenue the local LEO's used went cold almost immediately. The killer certainly has a penchant for details. Reminds me of our current problem: The Reaper." He looked directly at Gibbs. "Everything ready for Operation Swastika?"

For once Gibbs felt irritated about the way this case unfolded in a matter of days. "If that's what you want to call it."

He preferred the straightforward investigation method of catching criminals. Using decoys and operations were for terrorists and catching arms dealers. Ducky did point out that few serial killers were ever caught during a set up since a majority of the time a simple mistake brought attention to them. In this case, the killer brought attention to the type of victims he sought. But the method by which he killed suggested that the killer did not intend to be caught any time soon.

"It's what I need to call it." Vance shivered at the simple idea since the killer left no trace evidence behind. "If there's an alternative to this, I'd like to know about it." Gibbs remained silent, those cool blue eyes focused on the wall behind him. "Didn't think so. How's Dr. Hature coming along?"

Gibbs was not about to lie to Leon Vance. "Not at all."

Vance set his eyes on Gibbs. "We have less than a week before this goes down."

Gibbs merely shrugged in response taking a long drink from his coffee. He needed to focus on something else other than Ziva and Abby's plans. DiNozzo and McGee were finding next to nothing on the Swastika case or The Reaper. He had been forced to listen to the office gossip about the impending 'mission'. Even ducky appeared amused by the coming event.

Vance stood behind his desk suddenly annoyed. "I gave her a direct order."

Gibbs kept things simple. "She's got a mind of her own, Leon."

"And it's about to get slapped." Vance picked up the phone and dialed.

Ten minutes later, Hach entered the Director's office. She already knew what was to be said. The tone of his Vance's voice always told her what mood he was in before she arrived for meetings. Today was not going to be a friendly encounter.

"Dr. Hature." Vance motioned towards Gibbs standing at his desk. "Agent Gibbs tells me you haven't begun your part of the operation yet."

Hach wondered if her samples were complete yet. "Three days is more than enough time to become familiar with Agent Gibbs. I." She corrected herself. "We, will be ready, Director."

"Agent David and Miss Sciuto have spent a lot of time putting this operation together." Vance knew Hach hated being called out on something this simple. "I suggest you don't blow it."

"That is not my intention." Hach sighed. "However, I do have four cases open at the moment that requires my immediate attention. Once the evidence is completed and the reports written, I will be available to Agent Gibbs and…his 'mission'."

Gibbs muttered. "It's not my mission."

He stole a glance at Gibbs then back to Hature. "How much longer on the analysis?" Vance could hardly force Hach's hand in forensics.

"If my calculations are correct, by the end of the day." Hach kept her eyes on Vance.

"After you're done, I suggest the pair of you to spend the next two days hanging around one another." Vance did not want to lose a killer over a simple matter of appearances. "Make it convincing around the office."

She blinked. Hach narrowed her eyes at the command knowing Director Vance was not to be contended on such a newly prominent case. The media already dubbed the assailant the 'Swastika Killer' and reported that NCIS was handling the investigation.

Gibbs glanced at Hach who remained eerily still where she stood but noted the tension in her shoulders. He smirked realizing DiNozzo was right about the doc for once. She showed more fear than he did about the whole 'affair'.

**Chapter Twenty-Three**

The cold evening seemed to loom ahead of her.

Hach arrived for the Operation Swastika meeting precisely on time. However, the only one at the house of Agent Gibbs was…Agent Gibbs. His car was parked in the driveway beside the single family home. Removing the bag of Chinese food from the passenger side seat, she took a deep breath then headed for the front door using the front walkway.

"The others should be arriving soon." Hach quietly reasoned checking her watch for the time.

On the porch, she pressed the doorbell and noted the small size of the house. Nothing she was used to living in since she could afford a larger domicile. The front door opened and Gibbs eyed her on the front porch.

Gibbs noted she felt uncomfortable. "Doctor."

"I was informed to bring food for the meeting." She lifted the Chinese Food to distract him.

Gibbs looked at the bag, smirked then stepped aside to let her inside. Hach hesitated then walked into the small foyer with a single table on the right side under the window. The stairs leading to the upper floor was directly ahead of her. He closed the door behind her then moved around her and went into the living room. Gibbs passed her on his way to the kitchen passing through the living room then the dining room.

Hach paused. "No holiday cheer." Then whispered. "Noted."

Once inside, she stopped as Gibbs went past noting she was nearest the living area. She spied the fireplace with the sofa under the large picture window from her position. The floor was covered with a faded red carpet. Glancing to her left, there was a single green slightly wide chair separated from the sofa by a side table with a floor lamp behind it. A floor lamp was also in the opposite corner beside the picture window and in front of a built-in bookshelf with closed doors. A matching built in was on the other side of the fireplace and both were filled with books. It certainly dated the time when the house was decorated. Twenty-some-odd years ago she estimated silently.

"He hasn't decorated since then apparently."

Nearing the fireplace, she peered at the picture frame. There was a black picture frame with 3-forms in it but at this distance she could not make out the 'who' congregated together. Hach straightened when she noted Gibbs, a woman she presumed was his first wife and the young girl was obviously his daughter. It was a happy time caught in the photo.

Suddenly, she felt a foreigner in his home, glancing around to ensure Gibbs was not watching her. He was gone, concluding that he went into kitchen that was located somewhere at the back of the home. Hach sighed, hating being the stranger in someone's home, especially the homes of other co-workers. She preferred to avoid engaging in social interaction as much as possible. Rarely did she venture out to visit others in places other than work.

She called out moving towards the kitchen following the same path Gibbs took. "The others have not yet arrived, I see."

Hach proceeded through the living area into what would be called a Dining Room though it lacked the elegant décor. Clearly Gibbs lived the life of a bachelor with the congregation of rejected furniture that seemingly found its way into his home. There was a temporary dining table with four mismatched chairs off towards the window. A white hamper was across from the dining room table.

Gibbs paused in the doorway between the Kitchen and Dining Room. "No one else is coming."

Hach stopped in the middle of the Dining Room to realize she misunderstood the point of this evening's agenda. Perhaps she was misled on purpose by his team to think she was to meet all of them here. That would explain the smile on Agent DiNozzo's face when she left the Navy Yard.

Gibbs noted her expression, smirked then said evenly. "Relax, I'm not going to kill you."

She merely replied to hide her sudden annoyance with Gibbs' team. "I am quite aware that my safety is assured."

Agent Gibbs' domicile was intimidating.

Not because of the size but because he lived in a separate place other than the Navy Yard. It made him appear much more human. Oddly, Hach did not want to know more about Agent Gibbs outside of his role at NCIS. Part of her wanted to leave immediately. This was too personal, too intrusive. However, her usual rule-of-thumb was meant to be bent this time since it was mission related.

"You want something to drink?"

"Er…" Hach felt awkward but she refused to back down now that she was here. "Water's fine."

Following Gibbs into the kitchen, she had to ask. "What was so important about the operation that we couldn't discuss it at the Yard?"

He appeared in the doorway again with a bottle of water and handed it to her. "The operation."

She frowned taking the chilled bottle. "Your team's insight would be more useful if they were here."

Walking through the threshold into the kitchen, she moved towards the small section of counter next to the sink. Once at the counter, Hach placed the take-out bag and her water bottle on the top. Without thinking much of the simple task, she began removing the cartons and set them out in a clean line. Gibbs walked over to stand beside her.

"Not the insight I'm looking for, Guinevere." Gibbs noted her expression when he spoke the name. "We have to spend the next 48-hours learning to be comfortable around one another. I'd prefer to be away from NCIS."

Opening the cabinet above them, he took out two plates, setting them down on the counter. Hach immediately reached up and closed the door. She glanced over at Gibbs beside her.

"I see." Hach was at a loss. "How does this work exactly?"

Gibbs lifted his eyes and over to her partially amused. "Hanging out?"

"I understand the simple concept of hanging out." Hach twisted open the cap to her water bottle. "However, the appearance of a relationship eludes me."

He turned to face her leaning on the counter. "You've never had a relationship, doc?"

"I have money, power, and influence." Hach needed to make her point. "The men in my circles have no interest in little houses with white picket fences, Agent Gibbs." She let his silent shrug go. "Nor am I interested in staying at home with the children." Somehow a change in subject was needed she felt. "I see you drive a 70' Dodge Challenger." She paused. "426 or 440?"

"Hemi." Gibbs smirked.

"R/T package included?"

Gibbs nodded amused by their sudden bond. "You like cars, Guin?"

"I prefer to be called 'Hach' irregardless of our current mission, Agent Gibbs." Hach was annoyed he would use variations when a simple question of how she would prefer to be called would have sufficed. "I have a cherry red one myself. I would've preferred a Hemi unfortunately it came with a 440." Hach distracted herself from thinking about what his look meant and opened another container. "It provided a break from academics every now and then when I was at Harvard seeking my second and third PhD's. My mentor, Walter Dane, cherished a 1929 Ford he restored over a four-year period. We'd often debate topics during our 'monkeying' around, as he called it, in the garage."

Gibbs slid an arm around her shoulders as he smiled. "You surprise me, doc."

"That I like old cars?" Hach tried to let his arm around her go but she winced anyway. "Hardly a major secret, Agent Gibbs." She paused in order to phrase her opinion. "Give-a-little-to-get-a-little I think is the appropriate phrase here."

He leaned over close to her ear and lowered his voice. "Call me Jethro."

Hach paused then nodded when he handed her a plate. "Okay…" Opening chopsticks, she replied. "…Jethro."

**Chapter Twenty-Four**

The lab was remarkably silent tonight. Every piece of equipment was turned off and an old movie played on the large plasma screen with Abby and Ziva occasionally paying attention. They were dressed for movie night but they were more interested in another topic.

"What do you think they're doing right now?" Abby wondered holding Bert the Hippo in her arms.

"Well, Tony's upset Gibbs chose McGee over him to be the best man." Ziva relaxed against her chair. "I don't see what the big deal is over th…"

"That's not what I meant, Ziva!" Abby sighed. "Little 'H' and Gibbs." She appeared alarmed and happy all at once. "They're alone tonight! All alone." Then she smiled. "Together."

"Oh, that." Ziva completely forgot about Hach and Gibbs. "We did tell Hach about a meeting tonight at Gibbs' house to discuss the operation. And that we'd all be there." She smirked then giggled. "She would be shocked to find she's the only one there with Gibbs."

Abby pretended to be shocked. "Underhanded." Abby said slyly. "I like." She realized why they told Hach about the false meeting. "And so right. Hach would've never shown up if it was just Gibbs and her."

"Agreed." Ziva nodded. "They have to pull off appearing like a couple in love at the wedding." She smiled thinking about how the meeting might go. "Right now, I think Gibbs is probably trying to convince Hach that Chinese food is best hot and spicy."

"Hach doesn't like spicy food." Abby pointed out.

"That's my point." Ziva sighed. "They should be ironing out their differences, alone, together so that they can present themselves as a happy couple." She found the idea amusing for some reason. "That's going to take some time."

Abby got worried. "You think they won't pull it off?"

Ziva shook her head. "I think Gibbs will pull off his part. He has been married four times." She had reservations about Hach being part of the mission. "However, Hach still has yet to prove herself in the field."

Abby wondered in silence how things were going at Gibbs' house.

**Chapter Twenty-Five **

Hach realized Agent Gibbs was enjoying this far more than her. He sat on the sofa in the living room while she gingerly straddled his lap facing him. They were now sitting millimeters apart their lips lingering dangerously close. He moved her hands to his shoulders, sliding her against him. Hach blinked then shifted uncomfortably and froze in place.

"What is the point of this exercise again?" Hach cautiously sat on Agent Gibbs lap.

His hands slid around her, Hach seemed to hold her breath as he did this. She seemed overly conscientious about being close to Gibbs. In fact, the minor fear in her eyes did not stem from her sitting on his lap. However, he did not know what the other possibility could be. That was Ducky's department.

Gibbs smirked and spoke softly. "A bride shouldn't flinch or act awkwardly when her new husband kisses her. Anyone will see that we're not intimate immediately."

Hach realized she was allowing her personal views to get involved again. "I see." She breathed softly. "It will drive off the killer."

Gibbs smiled. "Something like that." He noted her expression. "You uncomfortable, doc?"

Hach narrowed her eyes slightly at his amusement at her expense. "This is hardly how I prefer to spend my evenings…Jethro." She looked into his eyes at that moment. "Are we sure this Swastika Killer will strike at the church?"

"The church is located in his target zone." Gibbs could think of another activity he would prefer to do with a woman that did not include words. "Since we changed the reception location to simple cake and coffee here at the house, the church is his only option."

"Is this the gut thing McGee mentioned?"

Gibbs smiled shortly. "It's a method."

"I see, a way to get into the killer's mindset." Hach felt at a loss for the next step suddenly so she asked. "And does this method have a name?"

He thought about it. "No."

Then Gibbs leaned towards her. It was odd to have Dr. Guinevere Hature so close but worth every moment to see her out of her comfort zone. He felt her muscles tense since she straddled him. Her hands were seemingly clenched on his shoulders in anticipation of the 'moment'. There was a minute glimmer of fear in her eyes. She avoided direct eye contact unless absolutely necessary. He made sure he kept his hands on her rather slender hips for the moment. This action made Hach shift uncomfortably again. Another interesting fact about the mysterious Dr. Hature, he noted. A mere intimate-like touch kept her acutely aware of him. Clearly she did not engage in personal relationships often.

So he whispered. "You have to relax, doc."

Hach nodded and tried to relax but found this action difficult to perform. "Is this closeness to be expected during the ceremony?"

"It's best to consider all possibilities." Gibbs looked into her eyes then at her lips.

There was a twitch from Hach when he lingered closer.

"I was under the impression that I…" Hach felt his lips brush hers. "…I would only have to kiss you upon completion of the ceremony." She needed to add. "And we would be standing."

Physically, she should be fine on Gibbs lap with his arms around her as those chick-flick movies often portrayed. Her ability to adapt and conform to any mission was the key to catching this Swastika Killer. However, no one mentioned how uncomfortable this position would be.

"Hymm." Gibbs really liked her display of discomfort. "There's going to be a room full of NCIS agents. An attack on us after the ceremony, not during, is more likely." He blinked then realized she smelled like flowers.

Part of her wondered how long this was supposed to take under normal circumstances. And there was this tiny smirk plastered on his lips that bothered her. Hach turned her head slightly to the right to avoid a full confrontation. However, Gibbs sensed her hesitation, slipped a hand into her hair then brought her to his lips again.

"If this was real, Hach." Gibbs focused on her lips. "Tonight wouldn't be necessary."

The memory of their first kiss in the agents training room when her twin sister died came back to haunt her. He attempted to prove the point that a confrontation with the serial killer, Ryan Nickson, would be more horrific for her rather than her attacker. A slip of her hands and gravity did the rest bringing their lips together for several moments before Agent Gibbs let her go.

"If this was real." Hach realized there would be major implications. "You would be signing a prenuptial agreement."

Gibbs laughed slightly at the idea. There was a moment when his eyes met hers just before he kissed her. Hach held her breath hoping for courage to brave this difficult time.

This kiss was similar but not exact. And both were expected to remain as meaningless as their first encounter. Yet, she willingly walked into this moment with the expectation that a killer would be caught eventually. Practice did make perfect according to Agent DiNozzo who appeared to relish the moment when she would have to 'perform' in front of a small number of NCIS agents.

Her breathing turned shallow, her arms tightened around his shoulders. The increase in heart rate and the tingling of her skin were indications that Agent Gibbs was physical arousing her. Being a MD, PhD gave her enough information to make that obvious conclusion that she was just a normal female responding to male stimuli.

However, she did not understand the subconscious physical attraction towards this NCIS agent. Consciously she found him harsh, aloof, and seemingly unhappy a majority of the time. Why would any woman find Agent Gibbs remotely attractive? Another question. Why had her body betrayed such a simple explanation and find him…was curious the right descriptor? Even, dare she say, intriguing? Dr. Guinevere Hature had never been attracted to anyone before.

'_And I'm not about to start now either.'_ She told herself firmly.

Hach tried to stop the kiss from becoming more than an innocent peck but Gibbs appeared more than happy to continue just to irk her. His arms tightened as she tried to pull away. She considered herself a patient woman but her normally high level of patience with persons of lesser intelligence was being tested. Her eyes flew open when Jethro Gibbs repositioned them lying down on the sofa with him, now, on top of her.

**Chapter Twenty-Six**

The Squad Room was quiet this evening.

Most of the NCIS staff went home for the day. Two agents remained behind wondering at their desks of the vents transpiring far, far away. Well, only Tony sat wondering how things were going between Hach and Gibbs. Tim appeared more interested in his computer than talking.

"You think the Little Doc will let Gibbs get close enough?"

Tim stopped typing long enough to think about it. "I think she understands enough about the mission to make the effort appear genuine."

"You forget little Timmy that our favorite Director of Forensics has issues with personal space invasion as evidenced during her Gibbs encounter while chasing our old friend, Ryan Nickson."

Tim paused. "Yeah, she did." He paused for effect. "Back then. This is a mission, not a personal threat on her life."

Tony tossed his stapler at McGee. "It's both, McBest Man!"

Tim got mad finding where the stapler landed. He picked up the stapler from the floor and threw it back at Tony angrily. Catching it easily, DiNozzo got furious then serious eyeing McGee through narrowed eyes.

Tony advised. "Watch it McFormer Best Man!"

Tim rolled his eyes and got back to his computer.

TO BE CONTINUED…


	36. Episode 12: Swastika Part 3

**NCIS Season 9**

**Episode 9.12.3**

**Swastika**

**By: Lady JenDragon**

**Disclaimer: **NCIS is not my idea, yeah, okay I feel better for saying it. Carrying on.

**Author's Notes: **Like I said…a crazy idea.

* * *

**SWASTIKA**

**PART THREE**

**Chapter Twenty-Seven**

Hach seemed clearly overwhelmed by their session. Her face was flushed and breathing ragged. It was quite confounded how easily she responded to Agent Gibbs. Her ability to think logically was also affected. Finally, she found a moment to tear herself away from beneath him to catch a breath. This was going beyond her comfort level.

"I don't think…we're…supposed…to go…this far." Hach felt flushed and avoided his kiss. "The church altar is no place for this kind of display, Agent Gibbs."

"Jethro." He corrected and kissed her again.

A knock echoed through the living room catching both their attention. Hach veered her lips away from him, hoping for such an intrusion. Gibbs ignored the knock thinking it was his imagination pressing his nose against her neck.

The knock echoed once more.

Slowly, he got to his feet and padded towards the door. He appeared annoyed but sighed as he walked. Hach immediately got up having issues with motor control.

Gibbs noted the patrol car sitting out front of the house as he looked passed the officer. "Can I help you, officer?"

"Sorry to bother you, Mr. Gibbs." An officer 'Sheldon' dressed in uniform tipped his hat towards the homeowner with blonde hair and average features smiled at the owner. "There was a report of a suspicious shadow around your home this evening."

Gibbs frowned but understood. "We haven't seen anyone."

The officer leaned forward and saw the woman just inside clearly disheveled. "Sorry to bother you both." He looked back at Gibbs. "A man was seen lurking around your kitchen windows." He paused. "A neighbor called."

Gibbs turned to Hach standing now. "Wait here."

Hach felt annoyed but waited while Gibbs and the officer went around the house. After what seemed like ten minutes, both returned to the open front door. She heard the officer say.

"Goodnight, Mr. Gibbs." He paused. "And congratulations on your wedding."

Suddenly Hach felt more than annoyed. Jethro Gibbs walked back into the house and shut the front door.

"Was there any proof someone was at the window?"

Gibbs nodded. "Yeah." He went and found his phone. "There's a depression in the soil but nothing we can get an impression of. He covered his tracks carefully."

Hach was astonished. "He was checking out the house?"

"My address was listed in the paper." Gibbs knew there was a chance the killer might scope out the place. "Now where were we?"

"I was leaving." Hach had enough for one evening. "We'll run through the ceremony tomorrow with Keller."

Gibbs watched her collect her things. Once she left he smiled closing the door. A part of him knew he took advantage of the situation. However, he also knew that if they had not been seen together, the killer might not strike. If it was the killer at all. They could only wait and see.

**Chapter Twenty-Eight **

Abby appeared disturbed by the news that someone was seen shadowing around Gibbs' house, fisting her hands into a human twizzler during Hach's explanation. For the remainder of the days before the wedding, he was not allowed to go home without McGee or DiNozzo. That would jive if the individual came back.

"Why were you at Gibbs' house?" Abby wanted to know innocently, sitting with Ziva.

The reason was already well known. They wanted details of the evening with Gibbs. It was a rare moment when a woman that spoke to them on a regular basis had intimate moments with Leroy Jethro Gibbs.

"I was under the impression that we were all meeting regarding the operation." Hach found no reason to be coy or shy. "However, upon my arrival, I found I was the only one invited to said mission briefing."

Ziva and Abby's eyes appeared to get large and they asked in unison.

"AND?"

Hach kept the explanation simple. "Agent Gibbs explained what to expect."

"Did you like…" Abby was to the point. "…kiss?"

Hach frowned then replied. "That is not part of the ceremony?"

"You kissed…actually kissed Gibbs?" Ziva was shocked and then wanted further clarification. "You really touched his lips?"

Hach only blinked at her and frowned. "If we behave the least bit awkward with one another in public, the killer will suspect us not to be a true couple. A little awkwardness would be counted as nerves but anything more obvious would blow our cover." She paused. "We have to be sure."

Abby smirked. "How often are you practicing?"

"Just last night." Hach decided after the officer left that they were more than ready for the operation. "Director Vance recommended it. I think we are now comfortable with one another enough to pull off Operation Swastika."

"Director Vance told you to do this?" Ziva could not wait to tell Tony and Tim.

Hach nodded. "I find your level of interest in your boss unusual, Miss David."

"It's a Gibbs thing. So…" Abby led in. "Wha…what was it like to kiss the Gibbs lips?"

Hach pondered for a moment why her meeting with Agent Gibbs meant so much to Abby and Ziva yet the obvious reason escaped her. "I do not know what you mean."

"Good? Hot? On fire?" Abby tried to think of more adjectives. "Stud?" Abby stopped suddenly. "Ew, I can't think about that one right now!"

"Those are good descriptors to start off with though, Abby." Ziva wanted more.

Hach frowned missing their meaning completely. "He's been married multiple times so I would say…" She noted the expressions of concentrated attention from both women. "…'experienced' might be the best I can do."

Ziva appeared more disappointed than Abby. Abby smiled since she knew just how innocent Hach behaved around others. The woman might have four PhD's but she understood so little of human emotion at times. Especially when making a joke. Hach was just….clueless.

"You might need to practice more." Ziva added unsure why Hach was so reserved. "Just to be sure."

Hach straightened. "I do not think so." She lost sleep after the 'practice' thinking about what occurred and decided that Agent Gibbs would require immediate avoidance once the case was closed. She checked her watch. "My samples should be almost completed. Excuse me, ladies."

Abby and Ziva watched Dr. Hature head towards the door. Hach appeared rather unphased by the conversation but they had less to wonder about what went down last night at Gibbs house. Both smiled when Hach disappeared through the door then giggled. To have someone so willing to share their experience with Gibbs, it was a rare moment.

"You think she looked worried?" Abby began.

"Dr. Hature doesn't come off as a very experienced woman…where men are concerned anyway." Ziva caught on immediately. "I think Gibbs might've awakened her."

"Everyone has sex." Abby thought it was wrong to talk about Hach behind her back then played with her hands nervously. "Course, we are talking about Hach here. And he's been married four times so that says something about Gibbs." She paused at Ziva's innuendo finally sinking in. "You really think so?"

Ziva shook her head. "The little doc doesn't play the field." She paused wondering if she got the phrase right before continuing. "She doesn't have a boyfriend that anyone knows of. I think last night with Gibbs may have made her rethink the whole false marriage thing. Notice how she wasn't willing to 'practice' again with Gibbs?"

Abby nodded. "Ooohhh."

Both giggled again.

Abby announced. "Let's go find Tony and Timmy!"

Ziva and Abby left the lab talking and giggling between them just enough to keep the conversation private.

**Chapter Twenty-Nine**

Gibbs walked into Autopsy hoping to find someone working since the lab was empty. Abby and Hach both appeared to have disappeared. He was hoping to hear about the tox screen. Ducky was found at his desk filling out paperwork to close out the file on the bodies of the two most recent victims of the Swastika killer.

Ducky did not turn from his desk to look at Jethro heading towards him with silent footsteps. "I see the media finally got a hold of this."

"Ah." Gibbs slowed his walk reaching Ducky's desk. "It was bound to happen."

"Now what could you need from me?"

"Tox screen." Gibbs thought better of taking a drink. "Abby's missing from the lab."

"Ah." Ducky smiled leaning back. "Probably looking for McGee. Word travels fast around this place about agents practicing."

"How do you know?" Gibbs automatically linked it to Abby. "Never mind." Then he paused. "How did Abby find out?" He took along drink from his coffee since he needed it.

"Hach apparently doesn't see any reason to keep it quiet." Ducky smiled. "Though I'm sure she gave a more logical and scientifically detailed approach to the experience. I've never known her to have a personal opinion about such matters." He got up from his desk. "Abby told me the tox screen came back negative except for a concoction of relaxers and paralytics. She's running the exact formulas."

Gibbs nodded. "That'll be hard to track down."

"Everything's hitching on this operation." Ducky chuckled. "Forgive my faux pas, Jethro."

Gibbs shrugged with his coffee in hand. "Doesn't matter what you call it." He was tired of the subject. "Thanks, Duck." He was about to turn when he noted Ducky's manner.

Ducky looked at Jethro Gibbs waiting silently for a detailed telling of the story.

Gibbs rolled his eyes. "Come on, Duck." Ducky said nothing yet barely fighting to refrain from smirking. "She's…very…professional."

Somehow Ducky understood what that meant and nodded as he smiled then explained why he wanted to know. "Yes, she would be. She keeps herself locked away from the world. It's where she feels safest. But she wanted her agent status back more than that safety so she consented to performing this mission even though it forced her to partner with you." He paused for several moments getting nothing from Jethro. "What does that tell you?"

"I don't know." Gibbs rarely tried to figure out the workings of a woman's mind.

"She holds it like a sacred artifact." Ducky found Hach to be a most fascinating woman if he did say so himself. "Something in her past made her risk everything to become an agent."

Gibbs continued with the line of reasoning. "Her sister's recent death told us a possible motive to becoming a NCIS agent. It's probably the truth."

Ducky took over again. "But we don't know how she lost it. She's still mourning the loss of that status which was, if I have to guess, out of her control."

"Unless it gets it my way, I don't care how she lost her agent status." Gibbs turned and began walking out of autopsy.

"But that doesn't stop you from wondering, Jethro." Ducky asked from his desk. "Did you enjoy your time with her?"

Gibbs turned to leave and did not stop to bother acknowledging the question. Ducky smiled at the brush off finding more humor than he initially expected. Shaking his head, Ducky sat down and got back to work.

"This wedding is going to be interesting to watch." He looked up then as if he suddenly realized something was missing and whispered. "It's a shame we couldn't have a bachelor party." He smiled regrettably. "Even if just for the..."

Leaving the rest unspoken.

**Chapter Thirty**

Hach stood facing the wall with her back to Ziva. The dress was smoother than the first try-on now that she wore the proper undergarments. Her hair was left long, grouped at the top of her head and hung loose with large curls. The veil was long down to the hem of the dress once it was placed. Guinevere Hature appeared the vision of any woman about to be married.

Ziva stared at Hach for several moments before arranging the veil on top of the head. She wore a sage-green colored yet simple bridesmaid dress with a smaller bouquet that matched the bride's. Ziva turned to face Dr. Mallard then stepped out of the way to allow him a first glance at Hach.

His eyes lit up with delight at seeing her and smiled widely. Walking forward, he took her hands into his. Ducky looked quite handsome in his tuxedo.

"Well now, you are radiant, my dear!"

Hach shifted uncomfortably and looked to Ziva for guidance. Her bosom was pushed higher from the undergarments she wore. She never thought she would never, ever see a day like this, real or fake. It bothered her that Agent Gibbs was waiting for her out there. His ability to rile up human emotion when she kept them in check…was certainly annoying to say the least.

"Thank you." Hach knew she had to do better than this mushy female persona. "You look quite dashing yourself." She had to make this look genuine. "Father."

"You clean up rather well, Hach." Ziva teased lightly.

"Do not get used to it." Hach teased but let her true emotions show lightly. "You know I do not normally wear dresses. However, Jethro insisted on the wedding dress so I made the exception for him. But it is for today only."

"Expect more compromise after seeing you in that gorgeous dress, my dear." Ducky leaned into Hach and whispered. "Ah, I suggest you act more like you're a woman in love rather than a woman spurned."

She felt alarmed then Hach whispered back. "I've never been in love."

Ducky whispered back. "We'll work on that." That got a perplexed look in response from Hach so he added. "Now, let's go show you off to everyone." Ducky walked off like a proud father, playing his part to the tee. "I'll be outside while you finish up."

"He is rather enjoying this, is he not?" Hach wondered.

Ziva nodded. "More than he'll ever tell."

Abby walked into the room as Ducky passed her, her mouth gaping catching sight of Hach in her dress. She looked sweet in her bridesmaid dress of sage green. It really sparked off her black hair and make-up. She wore the sash of the same sage green to cover some of her tattoos. It was a wedding after all.

"I swear everyone from work is here!" Abby did the walk around. "You look hot, Little 'H'!"

Hach felt her stomach quiver as she held her bouquet in front of her. "Everyone?" She paused. "How many exactly?"

"Like a hundred or so." Abby exaggerated as she kissed Hach on her cheek leaving no mess. "Okay, more like two hundred. I spotted a few people from my church who heard about it and decided to come too."

Hach froze at the idea of performing in front of that many persons from NCIS and strangers.

"Oh, god!" Hach had to sit down and moved to the sofa closing her eyes to clear her mind. "I need a moment to get this all sorted out in my mind."

Ziva and Abby, both alarmed, went to sit on either side of her.

Ziva looked at Abby. "We shouldn't have told her."

Hach looked up and into the mirror across the way then shuddered. "I swear I will never live this down." If the mission failed to capture the killer, she realized.

She did have to admit, she found herself rather lovely today. Perhaps she was over analyzing things. This was only a false wedding. No one in her business world would take the ceremony or the falsely placed announcement ad seriously once she told them it was a drunken joke by a NCIS co-worker. It would all be okay. Her connection to Gibbs was short and even then, temporary. She could get through this and catch this killer.

"All right." Hach stood up and brought up her professional persona. "It is time to get married."

Ziva checked her watch. "Let's go." She turned to Hach and kept her voice low. "Remember, just like we practiced yesterday with Keller."

Hach nodded and felt better for it. A very excited Abby walked out ahead of Ziva and Hach. Ducky would be waiting at the back of the church.

**Chapter Thirty-One**

Gibbs stood at the altar wearing an all white tuxedo with white collared shirt and a red rose on the lapel. Hach would have a single red rose in her bouquet as well. Tim McGee stood next to him as best man that still irked Tony DiNozzo standing on McGee's other side as the second groomsman. Both men wore black and white tuxedos with sage-green vests to match the bridesmaids for the event.

There was to be no radios for this event since that would be immediately noticed. Several agents posed as relatives and acted as ushers. Ducky was playing the roll of Hach's father to give her away. He was honored at the last minute request. They were going with the story that her mother died long ago so there was no need to pull another agent to play that role.

Gibbs stood waiting for the music to start. Agent Keller walked out from the side of the altar indicating the ceremony was about to begin. He crossed to where Gibbs and McGee stood at the first step. The doors at the back of the church opened.

An agent posing as the photographer stepped forward at the front to videotape the wedding as one would normally be recorded for documentation. He made sure to get everyone in the church and to point out people he did not know to the ushers.

Abby walked into view. She appeared the part of a very excited friend of the bride and a bridesmaid in the wedding. Agent Keller nodded her forward, Abby calmed down and did the duty of a bridesmaid winking at Tony. He gave her a thumbs-up as she came down the aisle first. Tim seemed to have trouble taking his eyes off her.

Halfway down, Ziva walked into view, her eyes shifting from Gibbs, to McGee to Tony. Tony appeared awed and impressed she looked good in her bridemaid's dress. Ziva felt proud to be considered the maid of honor. Unfortunately, Abby could not pull off the role since she was not an agent. But Abby was fine with being a bridesmaid and forced herself to wear the traditional garb to be part of the team.

Once Ziva made it the end of the front row of benches, Ducky with Hach by his side took their place at the end of the aisle. He held out his hand to the front, Hach took it with reverence a bride would give. They practiced a lot in the garage at NCIS the night before with Agent Keller.

"Whoa!" Tim found himself shocked.

McGee's mouth gaped open at seeing Hach in a wedding dress. Though she was far away, he could tell she looked the part of a bride.

Gibbs leaned over to Tim and whispered. "I can hear you."

The music started then as Ducky and Hach came to the door. Ziva smiled across the way at Tony on McGee's other side. He glanced over at Ziva and mouthed 'she looks hot'. Ziva thought she looked more than hot. Guinevere Hature was exquisite today.

Gibbs shifted nervously on his feet at the altar as Hach got closer. If he was to pull this off, he wanted to appear slightly nervous for his bride-to-be. She did appear beautifully dressed and accessorized for the role. Ziva took the bride's bouquet and she bent down so Ducky could lift the veil.

Gibbs felt a slight punch to his gut. Her make-up was flawless. She did not appear as Hach, the lab analyst with four PhD's who wore no make-up most of the time.

Agent Keller began the proceedings. At one point he stepped forward to join his hand with Hach. She glanced over at him occasionally cementing the role of bride. Her timing was perfect. Gibbs knew he had to do better.

"Do you Guinevere Maya Shennen Hature take Leroy Jethro Gibbs to be your lawfully wedded husband…"

A man with dark hair, light olive skin, and dark eyes watched the wedding with interest from the back of the church. He had an eerie smile on his face but also a look of disgust. No one noticed him, not even the agents posing as ushers. Dressed as a janitor, he shifted to the back corner where a hallway connected to the rectory.

He appeared almost happy as Hach responded. "I do."

And the wedding continued.

"Do you Leroy Jethro Gibbs take Guinevere Maya Shennen Hature to be your lawfully wedded wife…" Agent Keller's voice carried through the church.

"I do." Gibbs' voice was very confident.

Some mumblings later as the man lingered in the hall waiting for the words he wanted to hear most. He shifted towards the church to watch as the pair at the church's alter faced one another.

And the priest proclaimed. "You may kiss your bride."

Agent Keller smiled.

This was the moment.

Hach thought. _'Do not let me screw this up!'_

She turned to Gibbs, their eyes meeting for the first time in more than five minutes. She had to be in the moment just like in all those lame movies she watched with Jay when he was home from school. Holding his gaze, she smiled and stepped to him closing the distance between them. Gibbs smiled at her like a happy man, and in a single motion taking Hach into his arms easily then pressed his lips to hers.

The man at the back eyed the couple stepping to one another without hesitation and sealed their union with a very passionate kiss. Similar to the one he witnessed the previous night when he followed the man home. His future wife to be met him at the house and at some point ended up on the sofa in the front room.

The church erupted into applause. After the applause died down, Agent Keller introduced them as Mr. and Mrs. Leroy Jethro Gibbs. His voice echoed down the hall towards the rectory.

Back in the church, Tony clapped loudly. "It's so official!" And knew he could get away with it.

The suspicious man disappeared before anyone noticed him when the wedding concluded.

**Chapter Thirty-Two**

At the front of the church, McGee watched the signing of the marriage license that would never be recorded. He was tasked with keeping the peace after the wedding but found the signing fascinating for some reason. It was only for show in case the killer waited until after the moment. Agent Keller was watching over the license and would bring it with him to NCIS headquarters.

Gibbs signed after Hach was done and she waited next to Gibbs. Gibbs did his part and turned to Hach. He took her into a hug then kissed her happily. Hach kissed Gibbs on the cheek and hugged him lovingly.

Tim leaned over to Tony. "I've never seen him smile so much."

"Don't get used to it." Tony replied through a smile painfully. "He's so watching us right now."

Tim nodded he knew they were not off the hook yet.

Looking around for anyone she did not recognize, Hach realized she left her things in the back room. She did so on purpose in case the killer would wait to confront her there and not in public. Every agent would be watching her every move. She was the bride after all.

"Let me get my things from the bridal room. I forgot my phone."

"Hurry up. Photos, sweetheart." Gibbs nodded talking to an agent from international affairs who was not aware of the operation. The attending agent thought it was a real wedding.

She smiled sweetly. "I'll be quick."

Hach walked towards the back of the church. An elderly lady walked up to Gibbs and tapped him on the arm. He did not recognize her but pretended to care that she attended.

"Congratulations, Mr. Gibbs." She smiled sweetly. "Your wife is beautiful. You must be proud."

Gibbs smiled. "Thank you. Yes, I am very proud. Thank you for coming."

"It's always so good to see Miss Guinevere happy." The elderly woman said and sauntered off through the crowd heading towards the front of the church.

**Chapter Thirty-Three**

Hach found her black leather and brown purse and unplugged her phone from the wall. She checked her text messages and then thrust her phone into the purse. She turned to find a dark-haired man with light brown skin staring at her from the doorway. At six-one, he had the faint air of arrogance and confidence that came with his type. He slid something rolled into his inner coat pocket.

"Terrence Dane." She recognized him immediately. "What are you doing here?"

He folded his arms. "It's good to see you too, Hach. I see you finally took the plunge."

Hach knew why he was here. "Sometimes you just have to."

Terry, as he was known by, was unconvinced by the whole affair but then he thought he was the only one who knew Guinevere Hature. "You actually love this Leroy Jethro Gibbs?"

Hach faked being offended. "You don't think I can love someone?"

"He's not your usual style." Terrence walked forward, closing the distance between them. "I came to see for myself since reading the announcement in the papers." He paused to consider her. "You do…seem happy. I'll be seeing you, Hach. Hope it all works out."

But there was a tone of non-committal sincerity.

Hach thought about his past behavior and decided he was being overly rude. She walked out of the room after Terrence only to find him gone. Glancing down the hall, she found him in neither direction to the church or the rectory. She decided to brush it off and headed back towards the church. She froze when she thought she heard someone speaking behind her.

Turning to her left, she found the door leading to the basement of the church open. When did that open? She became familiar with the layout of the place before arriving and knew where this stairway went. Taking a long look down the stairs, Hach decided to ask.

"Hello?" Hach waited a moment. "Terrence?" She hesitated for a moment hearing nothing. "Did you come down here?" Hach shook her head. "Guess it was just my imagination."

Hach hesitated then decided Terrence Dane would never go down stairs into a basement unless it suited his agenda. Realizing that her hands were more than full, she paused to place things in her purse. Giving one last glance around, she decided to head back towards the church.

An arm stretched out and came from behind. A large hand covered her mouth, the other arm wrapped around her waist. Hach tried to call for help but found her cries muffled as she was dragged deeper into the basement. Attempting to grab anything to make noise, she was lifted off the floor and carried into the darkness.

The Swastika Killer had been standing by the door waiting for his chance to strike.

**Chapter Thirty-Four**

Gibbs walked towards the Bridal Room with DiNozzo and Ziva behind him. Hach was taking way too long to get her belongings. It had been a full ten minutes.

"Find Hach." He ordered.

Tony knew how to accomplish looking for a missing bride. "On your six, boss."

Ziva pointed towards the hallway. "She went to the Bridal room. It's just around the corner and to the right."

They arrived at the bridal room where the doors were left open. There was no one there and her belongings were gone. Some how someone had seem something.

Gibbs became concerned. "Find her. McGee, check the camera's."

Tony and Ziva took off down the hall to look elsewhere while McGee went to round up the agents on photography duty. Gibbs paused in the hall wondering where Hach might have gone. Someone was supposed to have been watching her. He moved to head back towards the church when his foot kicked something. It rolled around until it hit the wall. Gibbs bent over to pick up a lipstick lying on the floor. He turned it over and found GH etched into the bottom.

Gibbs pulled out his SIG, looking at the door to the basement. Had she been lured down here? Opening the door, he glanced down towards the church and signaled he was going in. He descended the stairs quickly. He found Hach's purse at the bottom, dropped hap-hazardly.

Gibbs heard Tony and Ziva shouting orders. They descended the stairs behind him with their SIG's drawn but not as quietly as he would have liked.

Tony asked. "Where's Hach?"

"He's got her." Gibbs tossed Hach purse to the side.

Ziva and Tony exchanged a quick glance. They followed Gibbs further into the basement. The lights were brighter here but they found nothing to indicate where Hach was taken. The hall dead-end at the wall of stone where a door used to lead to the outside.

Tony was not buying it. "Strange. This hallway goes nowhere."

Gibbs did not like knowing Hach was taken without anyone noticing. "The church covered it up because it flooded too much. Wherever Hach is, it's probably somewhere locked."

Ziva noted something about the wall. "Gibbs…"

She staggered back and forth until she fell against the wall losing consciousness. Tony sniffed the air and suddenly became dizzy, his gun lowering towards the ground. Eventually it clattered to the floor as he fell to the floor unconscious as well. Gibbs realized the gas as he was the last one to succumb to the floor falling next to DiNozzo, his gun sliding out of his hand.

**Chapter Thirty-Five**

McGee stood with Abby and Ducky waiting for the party to arrive back in the church. The elderly woman engaged Agent Keller in a lovely discussion of the flowers and his ceremony.

"Where's Hach and Gibbs?" Abby checked her phone. "They should've been back by now."

An agent in usher uniform caught Tim's attention. "Come on."

The agent whispered where Gibbs, DiNozzo and David went. Neither had been seen since. Tim returned to Ducky and Abby.

"They went to the basement." Tim took out his SIG and lowered it out of sight. "I'm going down. If I'm not back in two minutes, send ten agents to find us."

Ducky nodded.

Abby placed her hands with the bouquets on her slender hips. "You're not going down there blindly, are you, McGee?"

Tim did not have a choice. "That's their last location. Tony and Ziva are with him now. If the killer took Hach, they'll find her."

McGee nodded towards several agents standing together. They began walking forward. Ducky pressed Abby in their direction.

Ducky was very firm. "Stay here, Abby. I'll make sure Tim comes back."

Tim led the way down the stairs with Ducky following close behind him. "You don't have to come with me."

Ducky checked for cracks in the wall. "If the killer keeps to his MO, you'll need me upon finding them."

They followed the hallway to its end. He noticed fresh skid marks and scratches from something falling on the concrete. McGee and Ducky both checked the walls for any sign of a secret door. They could find nothing to indicate a hidden opening. Ducky bent down on one knee. His eyes focused on the marks recently made on the floor.

Ducky was sure. "They were here. Looks like the killer used some kind of gas…"

Ducky looked up at McGee who was beginning to lose consciousness. Tim turned to find Ducky now falling unconscious against the wall. He frowned and sniffed the air but appeared unphased. The wall in front of him suddenly opened up. The dual barrel of a shotgun in his face, McGee dropped his SIG and raised his hands into the air.

The medium voice spoke. "You're the first one that did something smart."

The husky voice spoke. His janitor shirt had Dorian Barr silk screened into the nametag. He held the shotgun at the agent dragging the unconscious elderly father of the bride into the room. No one should be left in the hall.

"Get." Dorian cocked the shotgun.

McGee slowly walked in front of Dorian into the room where everyone was congregated. The room behind the wall was larger than it appeared. McGee felt the sting as he lost consciousness.

**Chapter Thirty-Six**

The room was thirty by thirty feet with floor to ceiling shelves on two walls. There was a small window leading to the outside. Gibbs woke to find his hands and ankles zip-tied together. He lay between McGee and DiNozzo. Ducky was tied to the center post in the room. Lifting his head, he found Ziva and Hach lying next to one another across the dirt floor. Hach's hair was fanned out around her face.

Dorian sat in a chair near the window with a long knife in his right hand glinting in the sun. "I see you're finally awake. So sad you and your friends were a bit surprised by the gas I left in the hall to prevent nosy people from intruding on my work."

Gibbs felt his head pounding. "You work at the church."

Dorian did not seem phased by the large party. "I work many places."

He got up and walked over to Hach. He pulled her up off the floor as if she weighed nothing. Two wooden workbenches were set up near the wall with plywood placed across the top to make a table. Dorian pulled out a long carving knife from the drawer left open to the left of the makeshift table. He picked up the rock on the nearest shelf and began to sharpen the knife in long slow strokes.

Gibbs checked his hands and ankles. Both were restrained with zip ties colored black so he could use neither. There was little he could do in this state. That pissed him off.

"Any woman who marries a man almost twice her age…well." Dorian stared at his blade. "It's just not natural."

Gibbs was insulted. "I'm not that old." His head ached and he could barely think straight. "Special Agent Gibbs, NCIS." Gibbs sighed and dropped his head back down to the floor still affected from the gas.

Dorian seemed unphased. "Where you work is unimportant. It'll all be over soon old man. Don't worry, you'll be next Mr. Gibbs."

Gibbs felt tired from the gas he inhaled.

**Chapter Thirty-Seven**

Abby sat on the steps with NCIS agents on either side of her on their phones calling in to report why Gibbs and his team were missing. There were teams sweeping the basement but so far their sweeps came up empty. So, she tapped away on her cellphone it seemed with a plan in place.

"I can't lose all of them!" Abby seemingly prayed that her phone would work faster. "Gibbs just got married!" Then her phone beeped. "Ha, hah!"

The agents talking around her about everything seemingly realized that Abby Sciuto was the only one working. The others in attendance milled around waiting for the bride and groom to show up for photos. It appeared many did not realize they were missing from the party in the church.

Abby leapt onto her feet, taking tiny steps in her heels to re-enter the church. "Found them! Agent Keller!"

**Chapter Thirty-Eight**

Dr. Mallard woke suddenly. McGee and Tony begin to stir from their unconsciousness. Ziva opened her eyes and tried to sit up but her hands and ankles were bound tightly together.

A man with 'Dorian' silk-screened on his pocket patch worked around the bodies lying sporadically around the floor in front of the shelves that lined all four walls of the basement room. Hach lay on the central platform that consisted of two saw horses and a piece of plywood. Her head was turned towards the wall, her hands folded over her abdomen. He wore dark blue overalls indicating he worked on the grounds of the church for a number of years.

Gibbs woke a few minutes later in front of the shelves lining the wall suddenly aware they were in trouble. Next to him were Tony DiNozzo and Tim McGee who were awake and looking for a way out of their predicament. Ducky and Ziva were spread out on the floor across the room from him and next to one another. Their eyes were already open since the gas apparently had a limited knock out span. He noted they were all bound at the hands and feet with zip ties. The exception to being bound was Hach. He recognized she was to be first.

Ducky whispered and talked silently knowing Jethro could read lips. _"He kills through injection first." _Nodding towards the man standing under the only window in the basement room running an eighteen-inch blade along the length of the dark gray stone sharpening his weapon. _"Every victim had puncture marks in the neck." _

Dorian pulled out a syringe with a green liquid. He slowly approached the unconscious Hach. Ziva glanced around for anything she could find to either throw or toss with her bound hands to divert his attention from Hach. A large metal container sat by her feet. She squirmed around to get her feet around the container.

Gibbs decided more needed to be done to distract the killer. "Get away from my wife!"

"Your words have no meaning here, old man." Dorian's voice was low and deliberate.

Gibbs felt offended. "I'm not that old."

Ziva launched the can at the man, hitting him in the head. The syringe fell from his hand and rolled under the lowest shelves. There was a definite 'splak' indicating that the glass syringe broke upon impact. Dorian spun around holding his head, crying that it hurt.

Suddenly he spun around and focused on Ziva. "You bitch!"

Dorian crossed the floor and grabbed Ziva by the hair, yanking onto her feet. Ziva tried to struggle against him but his strength surprised her. Tony and Tim looked around them quickly for something to cut the binding with before Dorian could do anything to Ziva. The only surface that could cut anything was the knife located on the shelf near Hach.

Ziva tried to hit Dorian in the chest with her head.

However, Dorian hit Ziva across the face, letting her fall to the ground hard. He watched with zeal as she fell over. Ziva groaned when she landed, her head striking the lowest wooden shelf loaded with stacks of paint cans. It dazed her but did not knock her out completely.

Gibbs tried to unbind his hands and feet but found himself tangled. He leapt onto his bound feet and launched himself at Dorian. The man easily caught him and tossed him aside. Dorian moved towards Ziva, his focus set on her. Tim and Tony worked between them to also gain their feet but found Dorian anchored them to the metal pole holding up the I-Beam of the floor above. They both sighed in defeat.

Gibbs rolled over and swiped Dorian's legs out from under him but he jumped to avoid being knocked over. Dorian did not see him as an immediate threat. Ziva began coming round again when he reached down and picked her up again. Violently he yanked her to her feet by her hair and gripped her throat. His other hand clenched into a tight fist and it appeared Dorian was about to punch Ziva in the face. He smiled eerily as Ziva's eyes widened at the coming blow.

Suddenly a shot rang out.

BOOM…THAWAK!

Then another.

BOOM…THAWAK!

Dorian jerked forward slightly then again. Ziva, momentarily confused by the shots, fell into the shelves as the killer collapsed to the floor near her feet. She took several deep breaths, her eyes following to the two holes now oozing blood from his chest. Closing her eyes for a moment, Ziva opened them again and looked towards the source of the gunshots.

Hach was sitting up, a white gun in her right hand pointed at Dorian.

She held a quizzical expression on her face. "He should have looked up my dress." Then took that moment to slide off the makeshift table moving towards Ziva.

Tony smirked. "Women, I swear."

Gibbs whispered. "If only I'd known."

Tim and Ducky chuckled as the door to the room opened and Abby with three agents, including Keller, burst into the room with SIGs drawn. They halted upon seeing Hach aiding Ziva to her feet and Dorian lying against the wall bleeding. The other NCIS agents began helping the fallen bridal party out of their bindings.

Satisfied that the job was now completed, Hach looked to Abby and Ziva.

"Now that we are done." She paused to contain her growing irriation in wearing the damn thing. "Get me out of this dress before I turn into a girl."

Abby and Ziva were surprised by the demand they found themselves automatically following Hach out the room. Gibbs looked to Ducky wondering what the hell that was about and then laughed. Tony and Tim just shook their heads with smiles on their faces.

**Chapter Thirty-Nine**

There was six days remaining before Christmas. Vance allowed Gibbs' team some time off and the others took advantage of it. Tony and Tim both disappeared until after New Years. Gibbs would be around during the holiday since he did not spend time at home normally.

Hach sat in her temporary workstation across from Abby since she would be at the Naval Yard a little while longer. Her eyes in her microscope, she did not see Ziva walking into the lab seemingly looking for Abby. However, Miss Sciuto was currently on her way home for the night. That did not stop Ziva from pausing, her eyes set on Hach at the scope.

"Do you require assistance, Agent David?" Hach called out quietly.

Ziva did not know where to start. Glancing at the floor, she felt parts of her quiver from the beating today. There would be bruises from it and they would heal eventually. These past few days were the hardest.

"Your welcome." Hach replied.

That made Ziva walk further into the lab towards Hach more curious. "I…I can't say I understand you."

Hach straightened her back at that. "I don't remember thinking you should try to understand me, Agent David."

"That's not what I mean." Ziva realized she was a mess. "I…when I first met you. I thought you were…"

"Cold." Hach nodded then continued when Ziva lowered her head. "It would be an accurate statement. I typically make a point to keep myself detached from people in temporary locations. Some would argue people in general. However, this one assignment seems to be a little longer than temporary. I will not try to interfere with your family here." She waited for Ziva to continue. "I am just visiting."

"At first…" Ziva nodded. "We were worried you were replacing Abby." She paused.

Hach smiled at that. "No one can replace Abby, Ziva." She realized Ziva was having a hard time not because she felt guilty for how she perceived her but for failing to be a NCIS agent at the church. "You should all know that by now. Even me despite my attempts to do so." She smirked. "However, you have been through a lot, especially these past two months. And dealing with the Swastika Killer has affected you just as much as your recent past. Not physically but emotionally as well."

Ziva shook her head. "That's not all." She took a breath. "We weren't as accepting of you…as we probably should've been. But now that I've seen you…how you are with us. I understand you better."

Hach thought about it. "Try to keep it to yourself." She turned and motioned towards Abby's back room. "Come on."

Ziva frowned. "What?"

"You are in physical pain." Hach nodded towards the room motioning for Ziva to go. "I have a specific massage technique that will loosen up your muscles and will, hopefully, calm you down enough to get some sleep at night."

Ziva appeared alarmed. "How do you know I'm not sleeping at…" She realized she revealed more than she wanted to at the moment.

"I am a genius, remember?" Hach smirked waiting for Ziva to join her. "I may not understand all human emotions, however, I am a doctor and know when a patient is in pain." Ziva winced at the indication of weakness. "I can prescribe you a sleep aid if you require one."

"But…"

"I will not accept 'no'." Hach knew how to handle agents. "What are you doing for Christmas?"

Ziva felt suddenly broadsided. "I hadn't…"

"Good." Hach smiled. "I hold a party every year with key personnel. I would like you to come. There should be about a hundred people there. Abby, Dr. Mallard, and Jimmy and Brinna Palmer are also coming as well."

The rest of their conversation was lost as Ziva went through Abby's office door first and Hach closed it after they passed on their way to the back room where she set up the table and blacked out the window in case Ziva came to visit.

THE END

_NEXT TIME on NCIS…_

_Gibbs and the team have to figure why their latest victim is in pieces…_


	37. Episode 13: Visiting Dahlia Part 1

**NCIS Season 9**

**Episode 9.13.1**

**Visiting Dahlia**

**By: Lady JenDragon**

**Disclaimer: **NCIS is not mine.

**Author's Notes: **I wanted something a little unusual this time around.

* * *

**VISITING DAHLIA**

**PART ONE**

**Chapter One**

The large slick black Lexus pulled up to the farmhouse. It came to a looming stop near the front porch stairs. The passenger door opened immediately and Tim McGee exited the vehicle looking around the grounds. The derelict house sat off to his front and left and the decrepit barn was off to his right. Corn planted during the spring was left to die in the fields closest to the farmstead structures.

A round man got out of the driver's side of the car and closed the door softly. He had white hair and a red face in a black suit, white shirt and black shoes. He asked the younger man checking out the grounds.

Well." He looked slightly sideways at the relative. "What do you think?"

Tim was amazed. "Who knew Uncle Teddy had this much land!" He spun around then faced the lawyer who was in charge of his uncle's estate. "And you're sure he left all of this to me?"

"The trust named you as the only heir of his estate." Jack Grundy smiled then nodded. "Teddy mentioned it a number of times before he cut your cousin out of the will. You were always his favorite." Jack glanced around. "The place has been abandoned for years though. Teddy didn't like the idea of selling it off while he was still around. According to the neighbors, the kids like to come out and party here. Mostly out by the barn near the cornfields. Jasper Grady, from next door, has been using the land to grow corn and has been paying your uncle some of the money from the profits. It's been paying the taxes on the property for years."

Tim did not like the sound of that. "Can my cousin Jeff sue me over this?"

"He can try." Jack shrugged. "The trust clearly states Teddy's reasons for removing Jeff from inheriting his father's farm. No court would contest Teddy's wishes listed in the trust that was made under no duress in the presence of four family members who all bore witness to the signing and will testify on your behalf if necessary. Drug addicts don't win in court, Timothy."

Tim muttered at the unhappy family connection. "Jeff's a mess."

At that moment, the back door of the passenger side opened and Dr. Hature exited the vehicle. She wore a blue pant-suit and her hair was left loose and natural. She closed her cell phone and slipped it back into her pocket then glanced around at the abandoned farmhouse and nearby barn. Tim smiled and walked over to her.

"Well?" He asked honestly. "You think it'll work?"

"From what I have seen from our tour, the location would be perfect for Camp Little Hero's new home." Hach smiled slightly, her voice conversational. "However, I would like the camp's director to come out and take a closer look to make sure the property meets all their requirements."

Jack Grundy knew about Guinevere Hature setting his eyes on the richest woman he ever met. "Yes." Then nodded. "I think Teddy would approve of your selling the land to such a charitable cause." And added hoping to impress the doctor. "Military families need to send their kids somewhere during the summer too."

Tim replied. "I'd like to give Sarah some money from the sale. Maybe pay off some of her student loans."

Hach nodded that she agreed noting the lawyer's gaze on her but chose to ignore it. "Let us take a look at the buildings. If we can save them, it will add to the charm of the camp."

They walked around the barn looking for signs of the parties supposedly held. Trash was strewn everywhere from where the barn began out towards the cornfield. A derelict harvester could be seen in the tree thicket a hundred feet from the barn lost in the sea of dead corn.

Jack walked with Hach and Tim heading towards the corn field.

"Guess Grady couldn't harvest this part before winter set in this year." Jack hated rural life dusting off his suit. "Shame. But the kids use whatever corn isn't harvested as a maze during Halloween."

"You seem to know a lot about the local party scene, Mr. Grundy." Hach pointed out keeping the lawyer's attention on her rather than Tim who appeared distracted.

"Well…" Jack smiled then looked at Tim.

Tim spotted something near the cornfield's edge the color of red and white. At first, he thought it was a dog that recently lost a fight to the local wildlife. However, something made the hairs on his neck stand on end. He decided it was just better to verify that it was nothing and move on with the remainder of his day. This was his last day off from NCIS before he had to return to work from bereavement leave following Uncle Teddy's death.

Tim frowned at the cornfield's edge. "Is that?" He trailed off moving closer to the field's edge.

Hach and Jack joined him since he was so concentrated. As they edged closer, it was apparent that the bright red and white pieces that were dispersed at the cornfield's edge was not he remains of a wild animal. The face staring at them through fogged eyes solidified they had a problem.

Hach gripped McGee's coat to halt his forward advance. "We should call your boss, Tim."

There was no need to contaminate the scene. Tim was shocked but then nodded and pulled out his phone. Suddenly it hit him that his Uncle's property brought his work home to him. He wiped a hand over his face and sighed.

**Chapter Two**

Tony stared at Tim McGee's empty desk this morning. Dressed in a crisp gray suit, white collared short and black boots, Tony was the picture of a NCIS agent. Ziva sat at her desk checking her email wearing a plain v-neck shirt and green field trousers. Her work boots were more comfortable on these colder days.

"Where's McGeek?" Tony frowned. "It's weird not having him around this early in the morning."

"Remember his uncle died last week?" Ziva looked up from her desk. "On his father's side I believe. A man named Teddy McGee." She giggled at the idea. "Apparently, his uncle left him a farm somewhere in the middle of Virginia."

"Happy New Year, your uncle's dead. Wait!" Tony had to laugh. "McGeek turning into a McFarmer?" He could not contain his humor and sang. "Old McTimmy had a farm…yeyi yeyi yo."

Ziva laughed at the joke until Gibbs strolled into the Squad Room with a large coffee in hand passing McGee's desk with a mission. She found his stride consistent with a 'case' but Tony was faster. DiNozzo already had his field gear ready to go.

With a smile, Tony asked. "Where we going, boss?"

"Tim's farm." Gibbs paused at the desk for his weapon, ID, and keys. "Got a body in pieces."

Ziva glanced at Tony.

Neither knew if Gibbs was kidding but knew well enough to follow blindly. Ziva immediately got her field bag. DiNozzo strolled towards the elevators with an expression of glee. Ziva huffed catching up to Tony as the elevator doors opened. Gibbs walked into the elevator just before the doors closed.

And they were off.

**Chapter Three**

Ducky already arrived with his assistant, Jimmy Palmer, looking over the remains. The Medical Examiner truck was parked at an odd angle near the crime scene at the edge of the cornfield. Gibbs stopped the NCIS vehicle fifty feet from the scene to avoid dust contamination. Tony and Ziva arrived behind him with the Major Case Response Team truck. The two agents opened their doors to exit and headed towards the back.

Tony and Ziva stood at the back of the open MCRT truck with the doors open gathering the necessary field equipment into a pile. They both raised an eyebrow at Hach standing closely with Tim as they got their crime scene hats and jackets on before hefting the equipment. Gibbs somehow managed to dress before they left the Navy Yard.

"Ah, those crazy kids." Tony whispered to Ziva never taking his eyes off the Little Doc. "So, you think they're dating?"

"Doubt it." She replied too quickly she realized. "I know she and McGee have a lot in common like computers and stuff." Ziva was convinced Hach was more Gibbs speed than McGee's. "She feels more comfortable with people she can relate to." Ziva paused a moment to consider the pair. "I don't think they're actually dating."

"All that nerd talk makes me sick." Tony grabbed the camera out of the truck.

Ziva added. "No one I talked to ever heard of Hach dating anyone."

"I was sure there was something after the Swastika case." Tony was at a loss the pair worked as if nothing ever transpired between them.

Tony wondered about the church ceremony where Gibbs and the Little Doc had to pretend to 'love' each other and pull off a perfect wedding to catch a serial killer holding a vendetta against older men-younger women couples. Though Hach was older than she appeared. Many people thought the recognized NCIS genius was younger than Abby Sciuto despite her being the NCIS Director of Forensics.

"Everyone did." Ziva shrugged. "Seems we were wrong about Hach."

"That she lacks emotions?" That made him stop to look at Ziva then Tony took another pause before speaking. "That's why they call her the Ice Maiden, Ziva."

Ziva lowered her voice even more. "Don't let her hear you, Tony."

"You're right." He paused. "She might turn me into an ice statue." Tony realized Ziva had not said anything in response and looked down at her.

"I was thinking more like a…" Ziva smiled as she walked away from him. "Popsicle."

Tony smiled through gritted teeth then took a photo of Hach and Tim talking while Gibbs walked towards them. Even he could tell Gibbs was responding rather unGibbs-like.

**Chapter Four**

Gibbs found Tim, Hach, and a man in a suit, his Uncle Theodore's lawyer by the name of Jack Grundy according to what McGee told him over the phone. They stood away from the body since they were first on scene. It bothered him that Dr. Hature was with McGee on a personal day off. The three chose to stay within range of one another since they arrived together and neither committed the crime while visiting.

"Tim." Gibbs wanted to start with his agent first despite the story relayed in detail by McGee prior to their departure from NCIS.

"Boss." Tim was relieved to see Gibbs but knew he could not be involved in the investigation.  
"Wow, you got here fast."

"Happens on occasion." Gibbs liked speed. "Dr. Hature." He paused since he made no connection why she should be here. "What're you doing here?"

Hach knew the tone. "Since I arrived with Tim and Mr. Grundy the answer to your question is rather obvious, Agent Gibbs: I am visiting."

Not what he wanted to hear, he realized. Gibbs nodded for Tim to walk with him away from where Dr. Hature stood with an air of arrogance. Once they were far enough away from the other two, Gibbs asked the question of McGee.

Gibbs asked. "What is Dr. Hature actually doing here?"

Tim seemed surprised Gibbs questioned her presence but remembered few at NCIS actually trusted the temporary assignment of the Director of Forensic Science to the Navy Yard.

"I asked her to come." Tim glanced over at Dr. Hature watching them folding her arms as if she did not agree with Gibbs questioning him about why they were together on his day off. "My uncle Teddy who died. He left me this farm." Tim realized it would take a long time to explain the details. "It's complicated at the moment."

Agent Gibbs eyes trailed from Tim McGee to where Hach stood with the lawyer. He met her quizzical gaze, silently accusing him of interfering. Hature appeared to disapprove of his meddling. That would never bother him.

Hach noted the look from Agent Gibbs and lifted her chin as if to challenge him but remained silent. She did not feel she had to explain anything to him since McGee relayed all of the information via phone while Tim's team was in route. She overheard the conversation finding that Tim told Gibbs little of why they were here since the explanation would require an in depth description. Tim would never keep anything from Gibbs. The lawyer moved towards Tim and Gibbs to join the conversation.

Jack Grundy stepped forward towards the pair. "Jack Grundy." He stretched out a hand towards the older man he assumed was Tim's boss, Special Agent Gibbs with whom he heard a lot about. "I'm a friend of Teddy McGee, Tim's uncle. You must be the infamous Agent Gibbs."

Gibbs only looked at Grundy's hand until the man retracted and smiled. Hach knew she had no choice but to remain where she stood. However, there was no reason Agent Gibbs had to question her presence. As an adult, Special Agent Timothy McGee was quite capable of making his own judgments with whom he socialized. The way Gibbs eyed her felt like an insult.

**Chapter Five**

Tony and Ziva stared at the body as if they never looked at a crime scene before. There were exactly five pieces of the victim. The body was seemingly cut at the elbows, at the waist and at the knees. However, there were quite a number of other minor cuts, bruising and all covered in various stages of drying bodily fluids hiding details of the crime. Literally, the victim was a bloody mess.

"Of all the years I've been doing this." Tony winced. "I'd have to say this is my first Dahlia case."

Jimmy and Ziva both paused to look at very Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo. Tony did not realize they were staring until after he snapped a photo of the victim while Ducky worked. Once he brought the camera up then he realized all eyes were on him. Ducky smirked then spoke.

"What Anthony means is that our victim reminds him of the Black Dahlia." Ducky eyed the remains left in almost a squiggle pattern along the edge of the cornfield.

Jimmy nodded that he understood, appearing quite excited at the historical emphasis.

"Black Dahlia?" Ziva queried as Gibbs walked towards the group.

"The year was 1947." Ducky knew the story well. "The place: Los Angeles, California. On January the 15th, a woman walked with her daughter passed a vacant lot in the Leimert Park district area down the west side of South Norton Avenue. There, the body of Elizabeth Short was discovered cut in half at the waist."

Jimmy remembered. "She had ankle and wrist bruising consistent with being restrained by rope, didn't she?"

"Indeed, she did, Mr. Palmer." Ducky sighed. "There was also bruising on the skull indicating she suffered from blunt force trauma prior to being cut in half."

Tony frowned since there was only one thing he remembered from the infamous case. "And the Glasgow smile."

Ducky paused to look up at Tony. "Yes. Her mouth was cut from the corners up towards the ears. Unlike our victim here, The Black Dahlia was meticulously cleaned and washed then posed where she was deposited. Elizabeth Short disappeared around the 9th of January and her body discovered on the 15th of the same month. Unfortunately, the Los Angeles Police did not take over the case until four days after she was found." He saw enough. "However, the damage was already done."

Jimmy grimaced at the memory of the murder case. "Reporters contaminated the scene and caused a frenzy over the killing. Reporters hung out at the police station and took calls from potential witnesses. There were leaks everywhere and no one shared information. It was quite a mess the LAPD had to clean up. Reporters caused more harm than good to the investigation."

Tony smirked. "Some things never change."

"Why was she called the Black Dahlia, then?" Ziva wanted to know.

Jimmy added looking towards Ziva. "The newspapers called her the Black Dahlia because of the black clothing she was last seen wearing. The media painted her as a deviant young woman though it was told by her relatives that Elizabeth Short never drank, smoked or swore."

Ducky nodded in agreement. "It made all the headlines across the country."

Ziva did not understand the obsession surrounding the woman's death. "Sounds like a stalker turned killer to me."

Jimmy agreed now standing next to Tony who only stared back at the Autopsy gremlin.

"Some would agree with you, Ziva." Ducky replied his eyes focused on the victim. "Since the killer was never found."

Jimmy added. "Of course, that case preceded the use of forensics in murders."

Gibbs walked up to the group then moved towards Ducky. "What do you got, Duck?"

"Female." Ducky noted the clothing. "Probably eighteen to twenty-four years old. Her clothes appear intact on the body. Which suggests she wasn't attacked or raped prior to death. However, I'll need to piece her back together before I make any final conclusions."

"Cause of death?" Gibbs already guessed but wanted a professional opinion.

"On first glance, I would say dismemberment." Ducky was fairly positive. "It seems that the body was cut apart while she was alive. I'll have to look at the joints and bones where she was cut closely to confirm."

"Let me know." Gibbs stood up and surveyed the farm. "DiNozzo?"

Tony found himself under Gibbs scrutiny and asked cautiously. "Yeah boss?"

"What are ya doing?"

"Discussing the victim with Ducky." Tony began snapping photos of Ziva standing nearby then got back to work. "And now I'm taking more photos, boss."

Gibbs smirked as Tony moved off Ziva following him. "Hym hymm."

Things felt as if they were changing among his team. Gibbs did not know if it was a good thing or if that meant something was going to happen to one of them. With The Reaper and Perfecto lurking around NCIS nowadays, everyone remained on edge.

**Chapter Six**

And nowhere but in the Forensics Lab was that constant reminder of change felt. The glass enclosure continued to be a consistent reminder that the world was dynamic and ever changing. Though small, changes were inevitable. Gibbs stood beside Abby at her workstation tapping away on the keyboard as if she was alone. He was waiting for answers when she turned and just blurted the question eating away at her out.

Abby's face was somber when she asked with a hint of jealousy. "Is Tim seeing Hach?"

Gibbs paused confused as to why everyone was worried about what McGee and Dr. Hature were doing. "I didn't ask." Then he looked to Abby who appeared worried. "Did you?"

"I can't ask them out right!" She felt very guilty and looked it. "I'd feel weird asking Tim or Hach about it."

Gibbs weighed his options. "I don't think they're dating, Abs."

Abby sighed. "I was worried."

He knew better than to ask but this was Abby. "Why would you be worried?"

Abby froze that Gibbs was questioning her instead of demanding answers regarding the crime. "Ah! Nothing!" So she changed the subject. "Onto the case! According to the everything Tony and Ziva found at the farm…Tim's Farm." She paused and smiled at that. "The party must've been huge." Abby put her hands up to show just how large. "I'm talking like super massive, Gibbs!" Then she tapped her keyboard fast as the plasma screen popped over twenty-seven chemical formulas on the large screen. "I've found residues of every drug of choice used by every twenty-something out there."

Gibbs noted the chemical formulas but nothing he knew by sight. "Weapon?"

"I analyzed the pictures of the wounds Ducky sent up." She tapped the keyboard again and brought up a demonstration of how the body might have been cut into what was found at the crime scene. "There's a lot of iron-oxide found in the wounds. There's probably three blades rotating simultaneously."

"Why not one blade?"

Abby had the answer. "Ducky found the same amount of oxidation and decay on each of the wounds implying that they were all made roughly the same time." She was certain one person cutting the victim into pieces was far-fetched. "They blades are large and curved." She frowned. "And also rusty."

On the plasma, Abby watched with Gibbs as the small victim's body was cut with a large broad blade as she fell down. The body bled out quickly as she lay on the ground. Then she was cut again at the knees, her arms out in a non-defensive position. And finally her arms were cut at the elbow.

Gibbs spoke his thoughts out loud. "Rusted blade."

Abby nodded. "I'd look for something at the farm." She turned towards Gibbs. "A large piece of farming equipment. Like a plow or…other farming equipment that has lots of blades." She was still contemplating Tim and Hach. "If the kids attending the party were drunk, they probably didn't even think about it being there." Abby looked so happy. "And I'm willing to bet Tim's Farm that it has the prints of every party attendee there on it."

Gibbs retuned to Abby and kissed her at the temple then left the lab through the glass enclosure.

**Chapter Seven**

Back at the Squad Room, Tony looked at Ziva's computer pretending to read something over her shoulder as they talked. They were curious as to what they saw at the scene today. Even Ducky was paying attention though he said nothing. Jimmy Palmer mentioned prior to leaving that something felt off this morning. It was odd to have McGee at the scene but not working. And he sat at his desk checking his email ordered to not work on the case until his alibi was checked out for Friday night.

"Was it me or was Gibbs annoyed McGee and Hach were together at the farm?" Ziva whispered from her desk watching McGee at work on the case. "McGee's alibi checked out for Friday night. Game night with his neighbors on the third floor." Ziva smirked. "Shame Hach wasn't there to vouch for him."

Tony wanted Tim to know they were talking about him. "They've been spending way too much time together." He paused eyeing Tim closely for signs of oddities. "It's odd the Little Doc brainwashed him so quickly."

Tim looked up at them from his desk having heard the whole conversation. "She did not brainwash me, Tony!" He rolled his eyes. "She's been showing me the latest GPS unit to be used by the military. It's cool stuff." Then mumbled. "Just because you can't grasp the concept doesn't mean I can't enjoy the technology."

"Sounds like a personal issue, Timmy." Tony moved towards his desk. "I don't want to know what you do with your toys."

Gibbs added as he passed Ziva's desk with fresh coffee. "Nor I with yours DiNozzo."

"Welcome home, boss." Tony smiled slightly getting onto his feet. "I ran our victim's prints through AFIS but it's having issues today. Matches are taking a lot longer to run. We're still waiting for verification and Abby has all the trash, ehr, evidence from the McFarm." He glanced down at Ziva and they both smirked. "Hach will have to work with Abby to get through it all in a timely manner."

Gibbs seemed unphased by the reveal of Hach being involved in the case so Ziva added.

"Our victim still hasn't been identified." She looked at Gibbs who appeared blank. "We'll have to wait for a DNA match. Her fingers weren't useful for the print scanner."

Gibbs nodded and continued towards the laboratory and Autopsy.

**Chapter Eight**

Gibbs entered the lab through the temporary glass enclosure finding only Dr. Hature at the workstation running the samples. She wore a plain gray pantsuit under her lab coat, not the blue suit he spied earlier. Her hair was restrained in her usual ponytail at the top of her head. The tresses that usually hung loose were clipped to the side of her head by barrettes to avoid contaminating the samples.

He felt an overwhelming desire to ask a number of questions. Since Operation Swastika was pulled off without major screw-ups, Hach was given some leniencies where Vance was concerned. However, he remained skeptical. Dr. Hature hid too many secrets and his inquiries were coming up short.

"Where's Abby?" He paused to look deeper into the other rooms of the lab.

Hach did not bother to look over her shoulder at the agent. "Getting additional samples from Dr. Mallard as I understand it."

Gibbs took that moment to study the small doctor while he drank from his coffee. His eyes moved from head to toe and back up. Many would not bother to notice her more than once out on the street. Then once you knew more about her, one would feel compelled to pay closer attention to her.

Hach could feel his eyes pass over her and it bothered her to be assessed in such a manner. It was then she turned to face Agent Gibbs knowing the jury was still out on her in his mind. How much proof did he require to accept that she posed no threat to him or his team?

Hach felt annoyed by his resistance to trusting her. "Why are you so obsessed over my past, Agent Gibbs?"

"An agent's status is only lost when…"

"…NCIS determines that an agent was killed possibly by another agent." Hach knew the code from memory. "And yet I'm still here. Which means that agent wasn't me." She paused. "Is that the only thing that bothers you, Agent Gibbs?"

Gibbs needed to make things clear. "What is your interest in McGee?"

Hach frowned. "Purely professional, I assure you."

Gibbs seemed perplexed by his own response to her. "You've no personal interest in him?"

Kissing her certainly had something to do with it. More so than he imagined it would. Operation Swastika changed him in a way he did not understand. He felt the change but could not see it.

Hach realized Gibbs motive glancing at the results that popped into a window on the computer screen. "Tim has been most useful on a number of occasions." She paused. "Does my socializing with your agent make you unsettled?"

"Just looking out for my team."

"And I am not part of that team." Hach turned to Gibbs again. "You have made that abundantly clear." She would leave the evidence for Abby to explain to her father figure. "Being the Director of Forensics of NCIS I am labeled 'non-trustworthy'." She did not like being judged by someone she considered 'unqualified'. "And yet I have done so much to help you and your team these past few months."

She looked up the over to find Agent Gibbs gone.

"I wonder how much he missed." Hach said softly and returned to the workstation. "He needs to work on his people skills."

Abby returned from seeing Ducky down in Autopsy walking into the lab carrying sample jars. "Has Gibbs been down yet?"

Hach remained rather calm. "You just missed him." Hach did not bother to look at Abby. "You will have to explain the results to him. He left before I could tell him." Hach paused. "He refuses to trust me."

Abby eyed Hach cautiously then replied happily. "Because he doesn't know you yet." She cheered. "No worries. Once he knows you're on our side, he won't mind you at all."

Not that Agent Gibbs ever would openly allow her on the team, Hach thought to herself. Despite having survived a number of explosions, one along side his team. Then her cooperation in the Swastika case, she believed Agent Gibbs would be less critical towards her. However, since she began her temporary tenancy, Gibbs seemed to be more suspicious of her than ever. Did he really believe she was a 'threat' to his team?

**Chapter Nine**

Gibbs entered Autopsy as Jimmy Palmer began the cleaning process on the right arm of the victim. Ducky already had the chest open and was weighing the organs. The cuts on the skin appeared only superficial. Still, the sight would be alarming to most agents.

"You're a bit early Jethro." Ducky did not look over. "We've only just begun our examination."

Gibbs only wanted one thing. "TOD?"

"From the amount of damage she sustained, I'd say late Friday night." Ducky knew it was late morning on Monday today. "You'll have to wait on the exact time. I've found no rigor. And there's been numerous animal damage done to the body."

Gibbs turned to leave.

Ducky smirked from his task. "Did you learn anything interesting at the scene?"

Gibbs turned to Ducky once more. "About what?"

"Why Timothy is seeing Hach socially?" He kept his eyes on his task. "I sensed this morning that you were a bit annoyed seeing them at the crime scene together."

"Yeah." Gibbs eyed Jimmy Palmer who took the hint and slinkered out of Autopsy to give them some privacy. "She's spending a lot of time with McGee lately."

"She's not a lioness ready to pounce on her prey, Jethro." Ducky straightened then made eye contact with Jethro Gibbs. "She has a lot in common with Timothy. There's no reason for you to feel threatened by Hach." He smirked. "Or Timothy."

Gibbs straightened and appeared insulted. "You think I'm threatened by Dr. Hature, Duck?"

He ignored the remark about McGee clearly meant to dig around for evidence. Since Operation Swastika, Gibbs felt he was under a microscope when he was around Dr. Hature. Everyone watched them more closely than normal. He found himself pausing to glare at the spectators more often lately who then suddenly appeared to be busy.

"A woman with her level of intelligence would be intimidating to most men." Ducky smirked. "If you think she's arrogant you'd be wrong. She doesn't pay much attention to the opinion of others, especially senior NCIS agents."

Gibbs stared at him for a moment realizing Ducky was right about Dr. Hature then turned to leave.

"Since the Swastika case, you've been a bit more attentive to Dr. Hature." Ducky smiled. "I wonder why that might be."

"Wow." Gibbs said as he left the Autopsy. "That's a bit far fetched." He shook his head as he reached the double doors that opened automatically. "Even for you, Duck."

Ducky found himself chuckling. "That's what I thought."

Seconds later, Jimmy poked his head through the door. "Is Gibbs gone now?"

Ducky smirked returning to his task allowing Jimmy to figure that out for himself.

**Chapter Ten**

The Forensics Lab buzzed with activity as the equipment lit up with their tasks programmed into the memory. While they waited for the results, Abby stood facing Hach trying to explain how Team Gibbs operated.

"Hach." Abby bent her arms at the elbow then twisted her wrists until her palms faced up towards the ceiling. "You can't just expect Gibbs to meet you on your level. He's not a PhD. You need to keep things simple when he's around."

"I am aware of Agent Gibbs lack of higher education." Hach already read his file. "While he does lack the polish of a college degree, there is no mistake that he is an astute investigator. His NCIS record remains at the top of active agents."

"And Tony?"

"He wastes his abilities on comic commentary when he should focus on what is important during active investigations." Hach had specific emotional attachment to how she perceived Agent DiNozzo. "His record is no where near as commendable as Agent Gibbs. Perhaps if he took his job more seriously, he would achieve more satisfaction in his work."

"Wow." Abby was shocked. "Okay." Where should she go now? "Deep. Tony should be careful, eh?"

"I would have more respect for Agent DiNozzo if he behaved less as a child on a consistent basis." Hach knew Abby was getting an idea how she perceived Gibbs' team. "Ziva shows great amplitude and focus on her work that Agent DiNozzo lacks." Hach liked Ziva in a different manner than Tim and Abby. "Her former position as a Mossad operative was key to showing her where to prioritize."

Abby was happy with her progress in getting Hach to open up about her opinions of Team Gibbs. "Ducky?"

"He is a colleague." Hach replied honestly. "There is much wisdom he has gathered over the years. As for his assistant, Mr. Palmer, he will be a good pathologist in the future as long as he remains perceptive and observant of what his mentor is teaching him."

Abby wanted to know more about this person. "Tim?"

"McGee is indeed a most interesting case of a NCIS agent." Hach noted the expression on Abby's face since she knew her long enough to understand the micro-expressions. "He is observant, receptive and kind for an agent. He offers far more to Gibbs than just his skills as a computer expert. Still, he looks up to his supervisor almost as a father figure and appears to think he has much to learn from Agent Gibbs. Apparently you still harbor emotions for Agent McGee, Miss Sciuto."

Her mouth gaped in shock. "What?." Abby shook her head quickly. "No!" Then added hastily. "We dated for a short while years ago. It didn't work out."

"Nor were you old enough to understand what 'working' out a relationship meant. So naturally you failed to take the time to invest in the relationship properly." Hach saw the flash of fear in Abby's eyes. "I believe I know you well enough to estimate that though you insist on 'being friends' neither Tim nor you have had a serious relationship since your affair. However, if either were to become seriously involved with another person, jealousy would get 'ugly' since your true feelings would again surface."

Abby did not know what to say after that assessment, shocked by Hach's sudden insight. "Wow, glad I asked."

Hach glanced at her watch. "DNA should be done in thirty minutes. I have a call I need to make to Trey."

Trey Walker was her head of household outside Norfolk. Hach left Abby Sciuto pondering in the Forensics Laboratory, a smile on her face as she exited through the glass enclosure and into the hall. Abby Sciuto was clearly unaware of her reactions to Timothy McGee despite the constant declaration that she was not attracted to anyone seriously at the moment.

Abby turned at the beep of the mass spectrometer. The window popped up on workstation and she read the results slowly. Suddenly, she slapped a hand over her mouth, her eyes wide in another expression of shock.

"I've finally got a match after how many weeks?" She used her fingers to verify the results. "No, no, no, noooo!" There was something very wrong here. "This can't be right!"

Suddenly Abby closed the window and sent the data to her personal drive at home that no one else could get to from NCIS. She would keep the data off the main server in case someone was running a search for proof. Still, she had to tell someone.

"Gibbs!" Abby ran out of the lab.

**Chapter Eleven**

The day was cold but the sun managed to peek through for once eliminating the gray looming over DC. The greens and browns turned lighter, softening the sadness of the coming winter. Many people were out enjoying the sunshine even if the temperatures were a little colder. Gibbs sat on the park bench reading a paper.

The British drawl was lazy at best. "Agent Gibbs." Trent Kort sat down on the bench behind him. "We need to stop talking."

"Agreed." Gibbs knew Kort was just as interested in the arrangement as he was. "Anything?"

"The Reaper and Perfecto are the least of my concerns." Kort slid a manila folder between his arm and torso then through the slat in the bench behind him. "The CIA has their own problems."

Gibbs felt the nudged of the folder sliding between his arm and torso from the back. Unless someone was standing next to them, no one would know they were exchanging anything. Still, Gibbs gave a simple, unrushed glance around them, finding no one around.

"Trouble at home?" Gibbs pulled the folder from under his arm as if it had been there the whole time but refrained from opening it in public.

"Dr. Hature has a reputation for keeping secrets." He leaned lazily back. "And most of them aren't even hers." Kort glanced around the park lazily. "Word is, you want a secret kept secret, take it to Hature. She makes all sorts of secrets disappear."

"A secret keeper." Gibbs was not surprised.

"One thing I want to know, Gibbs." Kort looked around the park. "What does she have on the SecNav."

"Clayton Jarvis?" Gibbs was intrigued.

"Yes." Kort said with the drawl then smiled knowing he was planting seeds again. "I know Dr. Hature saved his kid's life back in the day. Still, I doubt that would keep her in his bad graces. She's got ways of uncovering the truth how NCIS and all of her sister agencies operate. Dr. Hature certainly kept Director Shepard busy trying to track her methods. Even the file on Vance remains well guarded." He sighed. "Stuff the file I gave you earlier didn't have." Kort chuckled. "Listen to me gossip. Back to our main topic. Now that Jarvis is SecNav, he's trying to find a way to get Dr. Hature out of NCIS."

"You don't have any idea what she has on Jarvis?" Gibbs needed something to go on so he could do his own digging.

"Not a clue." Trent hated feeling like the inferior agent here. "Clearly you don't either." He should have known. "All I know is that if he tries to crucify her in public, most of NCIS will go down with her. And a number of key persons in Homeland, the CIA, and the FBI." He paused for effect. "Not to mention most of Congress."

Gibbs was sure this was a bunch of bull. "You expect me to believe Dr. Hature has gathered intelligence on high level personnel in the government agencies and no one knows what she has?"

Kort stood up and faced Gibbs who turned to look at him from a sitting position on the bench. "Geniuses should be feared for a reason, Agent Gibbs." He looked around the almost empty park. "I doubt she truly understands what she has in her possession. If Jenny Shepard had lived, she wouldn't have remained the NCIS director for much longer." Kort smirked very slightly. "Vance must be smarter to keep Hature in front of him." He sighed once more and took a quick glance around again. "Be seeing you."

With that Kort walked away from Gibbs who remained sitting on the bench.

"Once again, more questions than answers." Gibbs remembered the secured door off the main hallway in Hach's home outside Norfolk and whispered as he got to his feet. "I bet she knows exactly what she has."

TO BE CONTINUED…


	38. Episode 13: Visiting Dahlia Part 2

**NCIS Season 9**

**Episode 9.13.2**

**Visiting Dahlia**

**By: Lady JenDragon**

**Disclaimer: **NCIS is not mine.

**Author's Notes: **I NCIS...

* * *

**VISITING DAHLIA**

**PART TWO**

**Chapter Twelve **

Gibbs retuned to the Squad Room after his meeting with Kort to find his agents working diligently looking for clues as to who killed their latest victim and left her at Tim's uncle's farm. Their main problem was the DNA not being in yet which was odd since Abby always had a quick turnaround. From the scrolling on the main plasma, his team was running through the enlisted men and women that were currently missing. Still nothing was easy when you had to sift through the lists by manually.

Tim looked up. "I might have someone here matching the victims physical description." He brought up a photo of a young pretty woman with dark hair. "Petty Officer Jaime Van De Kemp. She's been missing since Friday morning." He frowned then at the oddity. "Strange, her CO just reported her missing." Shaking his head in mild confusion that the CO would report the PO missing. "She had a weekend leave to visit family in the same area as my uncle's farm."

Gibbs replied. "Contact her family, find out if she went home."

He realized he was missing something important and headed back towards the elevator. Gibbs needed to make a coffee run when something made him pause. Instincts told him to wait for an extra few moments. He turned to find Abby Sciuto entering the Squad Room by McGee's desk behaving in an alarmed manner. She spotted the three agents then over the cubicle walls towards him at the elevator.

And called out. "Gibbs! Gibbs! Gibbs!" Abby took very short running steps to reach Gibbs waving the piece of paper clutched tightly in her hand.

It was rare to see Abby run.

"What now, Abs?" He knew what her expression meant.

The doors to the elevator opened and Gibbs stepped in. He paused until Abby almost jumped in with him just before the doors closed. She appeared more than upset. Her discovery meant something was wrong. Once the elevator began to move, Abby flipped the elevator switch to 'off' mode and looked solemnly at Gibbs.

"I've just finished the analysis on the explosives from Hach's lab."

Gibbs remained expressionless. "That took awhile."

Abby nodded. "Yeah." Then took a deep breath. "Because it took me this long to find the formula. It's military grade." She had to take a breath to calm herself. "And it's a brand new formulation within the last six months."

Now that had his attention. "We made it?"

"The Reaper or Perfecto didn't blow up Hach's lab in Norfolk!" Abby lowered her voice. "We did!" She leaned closer to Gibbs. "NCIS uses this formula only, Gibbs!" She paused. "This is mind blowing! I mean…how can we trust each other when our own agency's trying to kill us?"

Gibbs stood frozen.

"Wow." Abby realized what she did. "It's not often I get that Gibbs expression."

"You tell Dr. Hature?"

"No!" Abby looked suddenly fearful, clasping her hands together. "I couldn't do that! I'd feel violated, at minimum, that my own agency blew up my lab, Gibbs!"

"Keep it between us, Abs." Gibbs looked towards the ceiling of the elevator. "That's an order, Abby."

Abby sighed. "Thanks."

Lately, if she was ordered to remain silent, it was easier to keep the information quiet. Yet that hardly made Abby feel completely at ease with her recent discovery. She knew what needed to be done now.

Gibbs switched the elevator back to 'on' mode. A moment later the doors opened to the Forensics Laboratory floor and Abby got out by stepping backwards without taking her eyes off Gibbs. He nodded towards her that he would handle it.

Once the doors closed again, he slammed his hand over the '4'.

**Chapter Thirteen**

His usual barging into the Director's office was the signal that there was a major problem. Vance gave up on teaching Agent Gibbs manners in this regard. However, how the door was closed was an indication as to the type of information about to be divulged to the director. He took a deep breath knowing this was serious.

This was going to take some delicate handling so Gibbs asked bluntly. "Did we blow up Dr. Hature's lab in Norfolk?"

That made Vance sit up straight behind his desk at the insult. "That's a hell'va question to ask me, Gibbs."

"The explosives that destroyed the lab came from NCIS." Gibbs noted the shocked look on Leon's face. "Us, Leon."

"No one ordered a hit on Hach's new lab." Leon felt his anger rise knowing Miss Sciuto was responsible for finding the evidence. "But we did lose a batch of explosives about six months ago once the new C4 formula was completed and approved for Navy use. The Norfolk storage room was broken into. Explosives weren't the only thing stolen."

Gibbs saw the convenience of the story. "Is that the cover story?"

"No cover needed." Leon Vance firmed his glare. "There's a full investigation into the robbery in progress with direct reporting to me." Nothing was off limits these days. "The Reaper could've acquired it."

Gibbs wanted more answers. "Who investigated the burglary?"

Leon Vance did not know the exact specifics of the investigation since the final report was not in yet. "Agent Rollings." He knew the agent was less than exemplary.

Gibbs shook his head slowly. "Rollings?"

"His last chance to improve his record before he retires next year." Leon could hardly blame the older NCIS agent for riding out the last few years as a senior supervising agent in Norfolk. "His team did rather well despite missing the explosives being from our burglary. Miss Sciuto was sent secondary samples as a back-up to compare later. The preliminary report doesn't state that the lab results classify the explosives as NCIS, only general C4." He knew better. "Miss Sciuto doesn't give up easily."

"No, she doesn't." Gibbs knew his team well. "It's also the reason Abby made the match within the last twenty-four hours."

"Does Hach know?"

Gibbs shook his head. "I've ordered Abby to keep it quiet."

"Now I'm ordering you to keep it between us until I can figure out if Rollings has made any progress on the investigation." Vance stood up from his desk. "I'll pass it along to the SecNav to see what kind of response we get."

"You think the hit might've come from higher up?"

Leon set firm eyes on Gibbs. "If I didn't order it then someone from higher up did." He sighed. "If Hach finds out, she'll take out most of NCIS looking for the people who did it. The lab equipment was worth half a million alone."

Gibbs was sure of his response. "Dr. Hature won't hear it from me."

Vance nodded he could trust Gibbs not to let slip that there was a remote chance that someone in NCIS destroyed the new forensics laboratory in Norfolk. If that were the case, who would benefit the most from the Norfolk forensics lab being kept non-operational these days? Vance knew the building was being knocked down as Gibbs left his office.

**Chapter Fourteen**

In honor of heeding Abby's request of showing a more humanitarian facade towards Gibbs' team other than Ziva and Tim, Hach would be more polite towards Agents Gibbs and DiNozzo. She had the workstation ready to go when Agent Gibbs would arrive for the information he sought. Her nose suddenly detected a change. Turning, she found Gibbs just inside the glass enclosure. His arrival in the lab was silent and stealth, and in Abby's absence, she found him clearly contemplating her. At least she surmised.

Hach made the simple statement. "You are just in time, the DNA analysis completed a few minutes ago."

Gibbs looked at her with a mildly different view now that he knew more about the explosion that destroyed her lab in Norfolk. "Dr. Hature."

"Your victim is Petty Officer Jaime Van De Kemp." Hach brought up the military file photo of the young woman. "Twenty-two. She has risen through the ranks rather quickly. She is serving her fourth year aboard the USS Roosevelt. Her CO has recommended her for quite a number of commendations."

"Has Ducky sent up the measurements of the wounds for reconstruction?" Gibbs noted her restrained yet conversational and polite manner.

Abby must have talked to her about getting along with the rest of the team.

"Not yet." Hach needed to mind her vocal tones. "The doctor and Jimmy estimate that they will finish in a couple of hours. Once the measurements come in, Abby and I will put together the reconstruction. Abby will call you when it is ready."

Gibbs nodded, paused to look at Hach wondering why she was being polite then left the laboratory.

Hach felt perplexed since she did not understand the micro-expressions of Agent Gibbs. Shrugging off the possibility of making an error in deciphering the meanings, it would be more prudent to converse with Abby prior to making the final judgment. Perhaps the explanation would aid her in understanding the minute intricacies of human interactions.

**Chapter Fifteen**

Gibbs returned to the Squad Room in hopes of taking his mind off Trent Kort and Abby Sciuto's declaration that NCIS destroyed its own lab in Norfolk. If Kort was right about SecNav wanting a way to get Hature out of NCIS, an explosion was a pretty good way to do it. However, she was fifteen seconds late and just missed being vaporized. Tim, Ziva and Tony all perked up when they sensed him coming.

"Boss!" Tony leapt to his feet behind his desk. "I just got off the phone with Jaime Van De Kemp's parents." He paused. "Our possible victim. She arrived home around five o'clock on her weekend leave Friday night. She went out around eleven and they haven't seen her since."

"We just got DNA confirmation." Gibbs halted in front of the plasma waiting for his team to join him. "Van De Kemp is our victim. Hach went over her service record down in the lab. What else can you tell me?"

The others thought this odd since Abby was seen lurking around the Squad Room avoiding going back to her lab. Tim tried to go after her but she took off and no one saw her within the last twenty minutes or so.

"Hach emailed me the information on your way up, boss." Tim smirked, taking over. "Van De Kemp didn't take anything out of her accounts recently. Everything jives with her Petty Officer pay. Nothing odd there."

Ziva then added nodding toward McGee to bring up the younger sister's photo. "She's got a sister, Katey Van De Kemp who's been in and out of drug rehab over the last six years. She just turned twenty."

Gibbs stared at the photo. "Where's the sister?"

Tony chimed in. "Currently missing as well. Jaime's CO called in the missing persons report on Jamie. Mom and Dad put one out for Katey this morning. Local LEO's just posted it."

Gibbs knew how this looked but he needed to know if there was more the story. "Tim, find Katey Van De Kemp." He paused. "Tony, Ziva, return to the farm, look for a murder weapon. Get on the phone with Abby if need be."

"If you can find her." Tim muttered.

Gibbs looked at McGee knowing what he meant. Abby's first line of defense. If you have a secret, avoid interactions with people. She was horrible about keeping information from people so she probably went home to avoid NCIS.

"I'll find her." Gibbs turned to DiNozzo and Ziva watching him. "What are you still doing here?"

They scurried to their desks, picked up their field bags and ran for the elevator. The argument over who would drive would take place in the parking lot.

**Chapter Sixteen**

Late in the afternoon, Tony and Ziva walked six feet apart slowly traversing the edge of the cornfield where the body was found. Ziva used the lights and sirens the entire way here to minimize the time it took to travel. Either way it was going to be well into the late hours before they got back to DC. Both had cameras in case either one found something previously missed.

"Gibbs knows something." Ziva was sure.

"About?" Tony wanted to know only because he was bored.

"Abby." Ziva knew Abby was behaving oddly. "She discovered something and told Gibbs on his way to get coffee. It was all over her face."

"Gibbs didn't have any coffee." Tony stopped in surprise.

"That's my point, Tony." Ziva caught on as well. "He went to get coffee but Abby told him whatever she found out in the elevator, never got the coffee, then he went straight to the Director."

Both began their slow traverse over the cornfield edge.

"Whatever it is, it's not about the case." Tony surmised otherwise they would know what was exchanged between Vance and Gibbs already. "It's something else. Gibbs was gone for over an hour earlier too."

Ziva added. "Something's going on and we're being left out of the loop."

"They'll brief us when they want our help." Tony noted the deep groove in the ground. "Hey, Ziva."

She stopped to look over. "What?"

"What made this?" Tony pondered the ground. "Looks fresh."

Ziva walked over to look at the fresh groove dug into the ground. At first she wanted to be angry at Tony for making her leave her line but then she noted the red splatters on several of the broken corn stalks. That made her stop to glance around.

She frowned. "It's blood."

They followed the minute blood spatter in a single line along the cornfield for almost forty feet until they neared the farmhouse, about a hundred feet from the house to be exact. Tony and Ziva slowly followed the trail to near the corner of the yard where heavy gouges depressed the ground deeply over the area the size of two cars parked side by side.

"What made this?" Ziva was perplexed.

Tony looked around for the possible candidate finding it near the tree line at the opposite end of the cornfield edge. It was a far walk from where they stood at the farmhouse currently. It would take a while but they worked their way towards the barn. What seemed a long lapse in time, the pair approached what appeared to be an old rusted out harvester.

Tony asked Ziva. "You've ever driven a harvester before?"

Ziva looked at the equipment as they neared it. Once they reached it, the front end was rammed into the bushes s if it was crashed and the operator dashed from the scene. Tony took out his knife and unfolded it then proceeded to cut through the bushes.

Ziva had her doubts about Tony's line of reasoning. "You're expecting to find blood?"

"More than that." Tony cleared away a good portion of the center bushes squinting at the front end. "Jackpot." He took out a flashlight to shine the light into the darkened rust covered equipment.

Ziva looked up at the seat. "I'll dust for prints."

And set to work.

**Chapter Seventeen**

Gibbs and Timothy McGee walked through the hospital double doors on the first floor, heading for the nurse's station, looking for the person who contacted NCIS regarding Katey Van De Kemp's condition. Their BOLO produced an immediate hit.

"Katey Van De Kemp was found on the interstate suffering from withdrawal." Tim checked his PDA. "She was brought here three hours ago. Her parents are on their way now."

The nice lady at the front nurse's desk pointed them in the direction of the elevators and called for the Chief on staff to meet the NCIS agents on the fourth Floor. Katey Van De Kemp was being held in a private room on the psyche ward to monitor her withdrawal.

Tim informed Gibbs in the elevator. "Mostly recreational drugs but recently it's suspected that Katey was beginning towards Cocaine and Heroin."

Tim stopped to talk to the Chief in the hall while Gibbs walked into the room. Katey wore a white hospital gown. Her hands and feet were bound to the rails around the bed to keep her from fighting the staff. Her brown eyes were sunken in dark circles. Her once pretty face was beginning towards accelerated aging. She appeared a woman in her forties rather than a girl who just turned twenty. Her eyes focused on Gibbs as he came through the door, her body occasionally spasmed coming down from her most recent high.

"Katie Van De Kemp?" Gibbs kept his voice soft to avoid startling her reaching for his credentials. "Agent Gibbs with NCIS."

"Who are you?" Katey seemed cognitive accepting the agent readily not bothering to focus on the ID's he flashed for her.

"Gibbs." He stated and noted the simple chair near the head of the bed then walked over to it. "I'm here to see you about Jamie."

That made Katey huff. "She tell you where I went after the party?"

He paused to watch the response as he sat down in the simple chair. "Jamie is dead, Katey."

Katey snapped her head towards Gibbs noting the agent was better looking now that he was closer. "No way!" She shook her head. "I just saw her last night!"

"The party was Friday night." Gibbs pointed out. "It's now Monday."

Katey began crying then and Gibbs allowed her to get the tears over with first. They lingered in silence and tears for several moments before Katey pulled herself together enough to say something.

"H…how?" Katey was not a talkative person by nature.

"We're still working on tthat." Gibbs leaned forward. "She was found at an abandoned farm in pieces."

Katey frowned at the 'pieces'. "Old man McGee's farm?" She asked herself more than the agent. "We partied there a lot. It's the only place available that no one ever comes to bother us. Not even the cops bother us."

"Why's that?" He wondered why no one bothered keeping track of parties.

"It's easy for us to hear them coming." Katey shifted in the bed. "We can run in any direction to get away."

"Did Jamie find you there?"

Katey paused to think, straining her brain. "I think so. She's always yelling at me for this or that all the time. I get tired of it. Tune her out." Her eyes seemed to fix on the ceiling then she blinked. "Everything's so blurry." She paused. "I can't remember."

"Who else was there at the party?" He wanted answers.

"I…I was with a lot of people." Katie rolled her head side to side. "Greg Armstrong picked me up from my house around ten. I glanced at the clock thinking he better not be late again." She paused to think again. "We met James Skinter and Jasmin Orton at the party. They usually bring the fun stuff with them. Kiley Martin and Royo Billings came later after the other kids started trickling in."

Gibbs sighed knowing he would get little useful information from Katey Van de Kemp. Not with a blurred memory possible erased by consistent drug use. Later, Tim McGee completed collecting the records from the Chief and regrouped with Gibbs out in front of the hospital.

"Got the files, boss." Tim noted Gibbs quizzical expression. "You learn anything from Katey?"

"She used something that blocked her memories of the party." Gibbs looked towards the Van De Kemp's arriving at the hospital to be with their child.

Tim remembered a detail. "If she was found on the interstate, either she ran from the scene or she knows who killed Jamie."

"Got names, Tim." Gibbs handed McGee his notepad for Tim to begin the search on his little gizmo he always carried around.

Tim was happy to have something to keep him occupied on the way back to NCIS. "I'll have them checked out and on their way to NCIS by the time we get there."

Gibbs turned towards the car.

**Chapter Eighteen**

Ducky sat at his desk examining the photos of the party scene noting the placement of the trash, clothing, left over beer, dented kegs, the harvester, and the cornstalks with blood on them. He went over each photo carefully and made notes on the bound notepad off to his right. The autopsy was completed hours ago and Palmer was off running errands to various offices dropping off reports and samples. At that moment Gibbs entered Autopsy with a fresh coffee in hand.

"Whatta ya got for me, Duck?"

"Nothing conclusive." Ducky frowned. "I don't remember calling you that I had anything to add to my report."

Gibbs said nothing taking a drink from his coffee.

"Something else bothering you, Jethro?" Ducky heard about the politeness act Hach was using on Jethro's team from Abby.

"Dr. Hature." Gibbs was unsure ho to proceed. "She's not what she seems."

"Care to elaborate on that?" Ducky liked a good debate about the doctor.

Gibbs needed to change the subject. "No."

Ducky smirked at the change of subject. "Getting back to our case, I've been examining the photos Anthony and Ziva took of the farm and crime scene. There's too many players capable of committing murder here Jethro. Anything could've happened in a drug-induced state at a party this size. Katey Van De Kemp could've killed her sister and not remember any of it."

Gibbs nodded. "Katey Van De Kemp isn't off the hook."

"I'm afraid not." Ducky watched Jethro leave Autopsy.

There were a number of questions on Gibbs' mind regarding Katey Van De Kemp.

**Chapter Nineteen**

McGee stood beside Hach at the Forensics Lab workstation, eyeing the screen as the files flashed across from bottom to top. He seemed perplexed that Abby was around but he had yet to lay eyes on her since her chase after Gibbs. And she was nowhere since he returned from the hospital after Gibbs interviewed Katey Van De Kemp.

"She's avoiding me." Tim said finally.

"Who is avoiding you, Tim?" Hach asked softly.

Tim turned towards Hach and looked down at shorter scientist. "Abby. Ever since she chased Gibbs down this morning, I haven't seen her. She discovered something and told him about it on his way out for coffee. Then seconds later, coffee forgotten, he goes to see Director Vance and Abby's been M.I.A. ever since."

Hach let her fingers fly over the keyboard in dramatic rhythm letting her eyes follow the written medical history of Katey Van De Kemp unravel on screen. Tim glanced at the large box sitting under the evidence table behind them covered in a black cloth. Frowning, he found it odd but thought better about asking about it. Probably pertained to another case Hach was working on. He did not want to pry if it was top secret.

"Miss Sciuto is not the kind of woman to let anything get by her." Hach wondered at the purpose of chasing down Agent Gibbs. "I find her skills and tenacity refreshing."

"If it pertains to The Reaper, she would've told us." Tim sighed deeply.

"Then perhaps it relates to another case." Hach offered. "Her current aid on the Perfecto case with the FBI for example. As I understand things, Agent Gibbs has a friend in the FBI, an Agent Fornell."

Tim nodded. "I didn't think of that." He realized he was babbling again. "Anything from the files?"

"Katey Van de Kemp needs a year tied up in a basement to get clean." Hach replied. "She has a problem with using drugs off all kinds and it is clear she will not stop anytime soon. She had fifteen types of drugs in her system when she was found on the side of the interstate. It is no wonder she could remember nothing from the party began. The drugs passed around are capable of more than making a person black out."

"So Katey could've killed her sister and not know she did?" Tim was horrified at the idea.

"In theory, yes." Hach kept her voice conversational around people she liked. "There are a number of documented cases where this occurred."

Tim shook his head. "I can't believe anyone could kill your own sister and then run away." His phone beeped. "Ah, gotta go, Hach."

Tim McGee left the Forensics Lab quickly enough. Hach was perplexed that the agent had his phone programmed with an alert. Seconds passed and there was a shift in the sounds of the lab from behind her. Suddenly the black cloth over the large crate shifted to the side. Abby crawled out from the interior of the crate.

"Whew!" Abby got to her feet. "Timmy's catching on."

Hach merely glanced at the taller scientist now beside her. "Your inability to maintain a secret is well known, Miss Sciuto. However, your avoidance of your team is not recommended."

"I'd prefer you call me, Abby, Hach." Abby found it difficult to stay away from NCIS even with Hach working alongside her and the source of the reason why she was hiding from the team.

"Your attempt to keep that the explosives that destroyed my lab in Norfolk came from a stolen batch of newly formulated C4 for NCIS use only is commendable." Hach sighed then smiled. "But quite unnecessary."

Abby stood with her mouth gaping open as Hach walked around her and went into Abby's office and secondary lab.

"You knew all this time?" Abby ran in quick, short steps after Hach wanting to know how the other woman found out.

**Chapter Twenty**

A young man with dark hair, cut Marine short, sat in the conference room at the table across from Agent Gibbs with a straight back. His black polo shirt strained against his muscles and the khakis were neat and crisp. Gibbs had the file on Rockland 'Rocky' Billings, a twenty-two year old recently honorably discharged marine, open in front of him. There was no reason to drag him into Interrogation just yet.

"Thank you for coming in." Gibbs already got the run down from Tony.

"I had to come in since I knew Jaime Van De Kemp, sir." Ricky kept his eyes on the agent. "Jamie's CO called me to tell me she was found dead."

"You dated Jamie?" Gibbs needed to get through the simple questions first.

"Yes, sir." Rocky looked towards Agent Gibbs with firm eyes. "We dated for almost a year. Then we learned of family issues. We decided it was best if we focused on clearing up our family issues before continuing our relationship."

"What kind of family issues?" Gibbs noted the marine's expression.

"We both have family members suffering from addiction, sir."

"You know about the farm then?"

"Royo let it slip once." He paused. "Roger, my younger brother, we call him Royo. He just turned eighteen and barely graduated high school. He talked about McGee's farm like it was some after school program for kids who used to be addicts."

"So you decided to check it out?"

Rocky nodded. "Yes sir. Royo couldn't wait for weekends to come. But then my mother noticed he began to act like he was using again. So on one of my last weekend leaves, I followed him to the farm. It isn't hard to follow an addict, Agent Gibbs. When I got there, I found him getting high with fifteen others."

"You break up the party?"

"That time, yes." Rocky shook his head. "I knew it was pointless but I had to try. Addicts don't come clean until they either hit rock bottom or they just die."

"How long you've bee trying to get Royo sober?"

"Almost a year." Rockland let his shoulders drop. "I left the marines after three years to try to get him clean again." It clearly distressed him that his younger brother was using. "Drugs aren't him."

"Where were you Friday night?"

"I showed up at the farm around eleven." Rocky shook his head. "Royo was wasted by then. I found him out by the barn leaning up against a broken chair. I hauled him to his feet and took him to the nearest hospital."

"You see Jamie there?"

Rocky frowned at the question. "No, sir." His eyes widened. "She was there?"

Gibbs nodded. "Her sister, Katey, was there."

Rocky frowned again but did not take his eyes off Gibbs. "I didn't see Katey there, sir." He was shocked to have missed the sister. "I pulled up directly to the barn looking for my brother. The farm is large, it's easy to miss people walking around the grounds." Rocky paused. "The kids partied by the barn most of the time so I knew to start there. Royo wasn't far from there."

"How's your brother?" Gibbs already knew about the younger brother.

"Unknown at this time, sir." Rocky was certain he did not know the outcome but knew the chances were slim.

"You saved his life by taking him straight to the hospital." Gibbs noted the faxed copy of Roger 'Royo' Billings medical records.

"They pumped his stomach to get what they could out of his system." Rocky refrained from letting a tear show. "He's been unconscious in ICU since then."

"Will he make it?" Gibbs knew the look of fear in the eyes of a marine.

"Doctors don't know one way or the other yet." Rocky let his chin quiver once. "There's been little improvement since I brought him in. I was told that his brain might've been fried by the drugs at the party." He frowned. "Bad batch they said."

"Keep me posted." Gibbs got to his feet.

"Aye, sir." Rocky followed suit getting to his feet and rounded the table. He stretched out a hand towards Gibbs when they neared the door to the conference room. "Please, find out who killed Jamie, sir."

Gibbs needed to know. "You want revenge marine?"

"Don't tell me who it is, sir." Rocky lifted his chin. "Cause I will kill him." He sighed to keep his cool. "Just catch the bastard."

Gibbs nodded and watched Rocky Billings walked out into the hall.

**Chapter Twenty-One**

Tim McGee sat across from Greg Armstrong in Interrogation Room Two eyeing the grunge dressed addict. Greg let his light brown hair grow long and kept it in a ponytail at the base of his neck. The file on Greg Armstrong was a rather thick one with all of his history from the age of eighteen to his current age of twenty-five.

"Says here you've been arrested for possession fourteen times."

Greg leaned back in the chair and appeared as if ready to fall off at any moment. "All amounts less than the law declared as 'possession' man."

"Where we're you Friday night?"

"Party." Greg bounced his head unable to keep still. "McGee's farm. Best party central we ever had. Shame you guys found it so soon."

Tim had to stop himself from reaching across the table and smacking the punk.

"Well, it's gone now." Tim said. "You remember the party?"

Greg suddenly looked at the agent who only called himself 'Tim'. "I never remember the parties man." He shrugged. "I don't go to parties to remember anything." Greg smiled and let his head lull backwards then lifted it again to look across at the agent. "I go to forget, man."

Tim rolled his eyes and closed the file.

**Chapter Twenty-Two**

Ziva stood beside Tim McGee watching Tony interview Jasmin Orton in Interrogation Room One. The young lady of twenty-two was scantily clad in a blue dress with short skirt, stiletto's the color of slick oil, and a faux fur coat hung on the back of the chair. Her large bosom was barely contained in the top with spaghetti straps.

"She looks like a hooker." Ziva pointed out.

"She's got a reputation as 'easy'." Tim understood why. "Just Tony's type."

Ziva blew off Tim's snipe. "She's an addict too?"

"Not a user but hangs around the addicts to steal their money." Tim asked. "Who'd you interview?"

Ziva replied folding her arms. "James Skinter." She was disappointed she got nothing from the interview. "Another addict with legal problems that could rival a congressman. Apparently, he didn't use Friday night. He hauled Greg Armstrong home around 2 am but they left the party well before midnight. They were hungry and went to get a burger."

"Hope he used a credit card." Tim was amused since marijuana was not found at the farm or in anyone's blood stream.

"He did." Ziva was not amused. "Bought four cheeseburgers at 12:03 am."

"Where's Gibbs?" Tim wanted to see who else was using his uncle's farm as party central.

Ziva checked her watch. "Interviewing Kiley Martin in Interrogation Room Two."

It was then that Tim noted how Ziva was watching Tony. Her eyes never left the senior field agent. Clearly, she was offended by Miss Jasmin Orton on the other side of the glass. Tim smirked and paid close attention now.

**Chapter Twenty-Three**

Tony kept his appall of Jasmin Orton sitting across from him with a smile on her pretty face. She did not use drugs but she associated with the addicts to steal their money after they dropped off into a stupor or sleep. He kept the uncomfortable feeling to himself and responded to her interest with a professional level he rarely demonstrated. Her file was opened in front of him.

"You've been arrested for prostitution twice."

Jasmin rolled her eyes leaning back in her chair to emphasize her large bosom. "He made a donation. It wasn't payment for anything."

"Clarence Daniels says you sold him drugs."

"I gave him the drugs." Jasmin already copped to those charges more than a year ago. "I asked him to borrow some money. Bastard told the cops I served him." She folded her arms loosely across her chest. "As if I would bother with such a lowlife. He did it to cut a deal on his own charges."

"Let's talk about Friday night."

She perked up at the memories. "What about it?"

"Party." Tony smiled. "McGee's farm."

"Oh yeah." Jasmin nodded. "I went with James Skinter over to McGee's around ten. The party didn't really start until the others showed up. That was fun until they decided to play chicken with the harvesters."

Tony smirked then straightened his expression. "Harvester Chicken?"

"Yeah." Jasmin leaned forward letting her loose shirt open farther for the agent's view. "They stole the harvester from next door and used the old McGee harvester left to rust on the field. We always play chicken with the harvesters."

"You remember someone dying?"

Jasmin perked up. "No one died when I was there." She paused to think. "I left around twelve-thirty. Once you've seen one chicken you've seen them all. I wanted to get something to eat. I caught a ride with some of the kids from the party once they decided to head down to the river for a midnight polar dip."

Tony winced at the idea of a polar dip at this time of the year. "I bet that was fun."

"I don't live far from the river so I walked home once the polar dip got under way." Jasmin appeared bored at the memory of the event.

Tony had some ideas. "Anyone vouch for you?"

"My dad?" Jasmin leaned back in her chair. "He was home when I got there."

TO BE CONTINUED…


	39. Episode 13: Visiting Dahlia Part 3

**NCIS Season 9**

**Episode 9.13.3**

**Visiting Dahlia**

**By: Lady JenDragon**

**Disclaimer: **NCIS is not mine.

**Author's Notes: **I NCIS. Don't be afraid to review!

* * *

**VISITING DAHLIA**

**PART THREE**

**Chapter Twenty-Four**

Gibbs interviewed Kiley Martin, a brown-haired young woman who spent more time partying than paying attention to her future. Her hair and make-up was flawless. She appeared the picture of a middle-class woman with a good upbringing. But her record told a completely different story.

"You supply the local kids with drugs." Gibbs started off immediately with her rap sheet. "You arrived with Royo Billings?"

"Yeah." Kiley smiled at the older, handsome agent. "He liked to brag that his brother would never know where he was." She huffed. "Rocky found him later anyway. It's like he has his brother on GPS or something."

"And Katey?" His blue eyes were firm and piercing.

Kiley was unaffected at the moment. "She left with Ray."

Gibbs let his eyes narrow slightly. "Who's Ray?"

"Navy guy." Kiley smiled sweetly. "Last name, Bowman, I think. He likes to wear his uniform to the parties. He lives in town when he's not deployed."

Gibbs got what he wanted for the time being.

**Chapter Twenty-Five**

Having completed the interviews of the names given by Katey Van de Kemp, Tony and Ziva got to work on trying to locate Ray Bowman. McGee returned from an errand to the Forensics lab looking for Abby, deflated she was not there and returned to the Squad Room. He sat down at his desk and got back to work on finding Ray Bowman. Gibbs arrived back in the Squad Room after taking a break to gather his thoughts.

Tony was the first to stand. "Seaman Ray Bowman is currently on leave from the USS Roosevelt. His CO has little positive things to say about Mr. Bowman."

Ziva smiled as she got to her feet, with the plasma remote in hand, turned it on and a photo of Ray Bowman popped on screen.

"He's currently being investigated by local LEO's and the Navy for drug dealing." There were a number of files that scrolled on screen that she scrolled through until a single sheet paused for review. "He has a history of dealing since he graduated from high school. His uncle dealed and so did his father."

Tony replied. "Family business."

Ziva agreed Ray Bowman picked up where his family left off. "Both father and uncle are doing time for possession and dealing. However, his CO isn't aware of the investigation. Narcotics is hoping to narrow down where he's getting the drugs from. So far, Bowman hasn't given up his source and they think these parties he attends is where he makes contact."

McGee added. "His last arrest, the judge sentenced him to the marines to straighten him out."

Gibbs was disgusted. "Now he's dealing to marines."

"Some people can't be straightened out." Tony said quietly enough but Gibbs heard him.

"He's also deployed on the same ship as Jamie Van de Kemp."

"Find him." Gibbs ordered his team.

**Chapter Twenty-Six**

Tim and Ziva arrived at the Bowman house to find a police car sitting in front of the house. There were two officers standing at the front door with the mother and stepfather discussing something. The officers were taking notes for what appeared to be a formal report. Tony and Ziva approached the front porch cautiously. They wanted the group to see them coming.

Tony spoke for the pair. "Agents DiNozzo and David with NCIS." He looked at the solemn faces of the group. "We're looking for Ray Bowman."

They flashed their badges and IDs to the parents and officers. The officers, L. Danette and J. Reyes, nodded and stepped back.

"You came just in time." The fifty-something mother, Darlene, shivered with worry. "Our son is missing."

The agents looked to the white haired man standing next to his wife who stepped forward and nodded towards them.

"Taylor McCavery, Ray's stepdad." He strained a smile then grimaced. "Ray's always been a loner most of the time. When he arrived home on Thursday, we were shocked he was back so soon."

Since Ray Bowman was Navy, NCIS would take over the missing persons report. Tony nodded toward Ziva and she moved to take the record the local officers already wrote down from them. It would become part of the file. The officers excused themselves silently and walked off. No point in sticking around.

Tony asked. "Does Ray live here when he's home?"

"Yes." Darlene replied. "He was angry when I divorced his father. When I later remarried, he suddenly decided to try to work things out with Taylor."

"Do you know where he went on Friday night?"

Taylor straightened at knowing and clearly did not like that he was aware of the knowledge. "As I recall, he went to a party on Friday night. Ray always knew the party scene in town. The kids would anxiously await for him to return. Sometimes they'd knock on the front door at all hours looking for Ray."

"Have you seen him since Friday?" Tony wanted to know.

Neither knew.

As they walked away from the McCavery home, Tony thought out loud beside Ziva. "If Ray left with Katey Van de Kemp, I bet he knows what happened to Jamie Van De Kemp."

Ziva nodded as they approached the car. "He went AWOL after the party too." She agreed. "They had to be together."

Tony DiNozzo was already pulling out his cellphone to call McGee to let him know what they discovered. He paused to notice there was no vehicles parked in front of the house though a majority of the houses on the street had cars parked at the curb.

**Chapter Twenty-Seven**

Ziva returned to the hospital to re-interview Katey Van De Kemp about Ray Bowman. They were seen leaving the party together yet Katey could not remember with whom she left with that night. The local psychologist tried a few techniques to help her remember. And Katey was open to the experience since she was forced to go through this withdrawal. Part of her felt sorry for the young woman lying in the bed restrained for the first week of withdrawal.

Ziva sat in the simple chair next to the bed. "You arrived with Greg Armstrong?"

"Yes." Katey sat up in bed since she was getting better. "They'll be removing the restraints in a few days once all the drugs are out of my system."

"That'll feel good." Ziva tried to smile but failed.

"Did you ever use drugs?" Katey asked suddenly.

"No." Ziva shook her head. "I decided long ago that trying to run away through alcohol or drugs wouldn't solve any of my problems. Those only mask the problem I'm trying to escape." Ziva was honest in her response noting the girl felt what she was saying. "But then once you sober up, the problems are still there."

"It's a vicious cycle." Katey agreed.

"The only way to break the cycle is to face the problem head on and solve it." Ziva did not like the silence that lingered. "I need to ask you more questions about Friday night. You left the party with Ray Bowman?"

"He was angry." Katey nodded. "I remember Jaime showing up to get me. She was really mad that I was there." Her eyes welled up with tears. "Ray got in her face. She recognized him from her ship."

Ziva moved to the edge of her chair. "What did they argue about?"

"Jamie threatened to report him to the captain." Katey sighed. "Then I black out." She paused. "When I woke, I saw this mutilated body and ran into the cornfield. Ray chased me down and said it was an animal. He said he would take me away from the farm."

Ziva could tell Katey was in too deep to try lying at the moment. "Did you guess it might be a person?"

"I remembered I plucked something off the animal." Katey leaned back against the bed and closed her eyes. "If you ask for my stuff when I was brought in, you'll have your answer."

**Chapter Twenty-Eight**

More than hour later, Tony DiNozzo sat on the corner of Ziva David's desk watching her face closely. Ziva sat at her desk amazed by the results of interview with Katey Van De Kemp. The young woman touched her in a way she did not expect. It amazed her what drugs did to people.

Tony whispered. "She had Jamie's bloodied medals?"

Ziva nodded. "They're with Hach and Abby now." She had to pause to think for a moment prior to continuing. "She claims she didn't know what it was, only that it grabbed her attention and she plucked them from what she was told was an animal." Ziva was unsure whether she truly believed Katey. "She blacked out and Jamie was dead."

Tony had his own theory. "Ray Bowman killed Jamie to prevent her from reporting his extracurricular activities to her CO and the Captain of the Roosevelt."

Ziva sighed. "She didn't know he was already being investigated."

McGee walked up to Ziva's desk and offered. "They'll have to add another murder. Roger 'Royo' Billings was declared brain dead twenty minutes ago and taken off life-support."

Ziva looked up at Tony and he grimaced down at her.

"It's tough being a big brother trying to look out for your little brother gone astray." Tony got to his feet and walked over to McGee and placed an arm around his shoulders. "Don't ever go astray on me, Tim."

"Why would I?" Tim was confused at first at the sudden compliment from DiNozzo that made suddenly him smile.

Ziva smiled at the sentiment.

Gibbs strode into the Squad Room from the direction of the laboratory and paused at his desk.

"Let's get moving!" He grabbed his SIG and ID. "Ray Bowman was just found in an alley in Norfolk. They're transferring him to Bethesda. DiNozzo and McGee, go. Ziva with me."

**Chapter Twenty-Nine**

Gibbs and Ziva stood eyeing Ray Bowman's car parked in front of his mother and stepdad's house. She appeared more confused than Gibbs. The black Buick Regal was old and in good condition. The trunk and the doors were all open. Still, Gibbs hoped there would be evidence left behind from his transport of Katey Van De Kemp to the interstate after he killed her sister, Jaime.

"According to his mother, this was here since late last night." Ziva was perplexed. "This wasn't here when we interviewed the parents, Gibbs."

"Feels like a set-up to me."

"Agreed." Ziva got to work with taking photos. "Look for any proof that Katey Van De Kemp was in the car?"

"And Jamie Van De Kemp's blood." Gibbs wanted to nail Ray Bowman for both Jamie Van de Kemp and Roger Billings recently deceased. "Drugs as well."

That made Ziva pause to ask. "You think Ray drugged Katey to keep her from identifying him as the killer?"

Gibbs nodded then shrugged. "Possible."

And they got to work on taking the necessary photos and the bulk evidence collection right off. The rest would be sent to Abby for the microscopic evidence collection. Shortly there after, Tony and Tim arrived to help out since their interview was done with Ray Bowman. They were already dressed in their field outfits since Gibbs made it clear they would join Ziva and him at the parent's house.

"Boss, Ray didn't have much to say." Tony was unconvinced during his interview with Ray Bowman. "Claims he doesn't remember the party or the after party."

"You think he's lying?" Gibbs took photos of the trunk of the car.

"I'm willing to bet a hundred on it." Tony felt confident his gut was right. "Sounded rehearsed to me."

Tim only nodded he agreed and got to work.

**Chapter Thirty**

Later, Gibbs arrived in the lab with a Caf-Pow to find Abby and Dr. Hature discussing DNA and something called mitochondria. The simple parts of a cell he understood. However, the rhetoric of scientific terms used after were something he did not understand. Yet, it was odd to see Abby behaving so comfortably with someone not part of the team as she placed blue painters tape on the floor in the center of the room. The evidence table was removed along with the large crate with black drop cloth. At that moment, Abby looked up at him.

"Gibbs!" She was happy to see him and stood up from the placing a line of blue tape on the floor. "You're late."

That made Gibbs pause. "For what?"

"Show him, Little H!" Abby swung around to find Hach already bringing up the reconstruction of the murder using the harvester as the weapon of choice.

Gibbs walked past Abby hoping for the Caf-Pow without relinquishing it.

"Alright." Abby hurried after him. "As you can see if our victim was awake when the harvester was used to cut her then we wouldn't have the wounds we see now."

"She was unconscious when she was run over by the harvester." Gibbs understood that meant Jaime Van De Kemp was knocked unconscious first then thrown in front of the harvester. "Did Ducky find any trauma?"

Abby nodded and glanced over at Hach. Her fingers flew across the keyboard so fast, Gibbs paused to take in the rhythm. It was odd that the windows on the plasma moved so quickly but only partially blocked the view of the reconstruction. A photo of the victim's skull came up but there was no indentation. There were two holes in the top of her skull.

"The wound around the elbows show that victim struggled to lift someone rather heavy." Abby waited for the reconstruction to begin again. "I think she may have been trying to lift her sister to take her home from the party. But Seaman Bowman had other ideas. He fights her, knocks her dazed while the other revelers play harvester chicken. An angry Bowman throws our victim into the path of the harvester."

"Explains the three sets of blades." Gibbs wondered how close the reconstruction matched the wounds. "Ducky see this?"

Abby nodded. "Yes. He came up to see it for himself."

"I'm here, Jethro!" Came Ducky's voice over the com-video link.

Hach put Ducky on the plasma for everyone to see him. She placed herself in front of the camera to acknowledge that Gibbs and Abby were listening.

Ducky nodded and lifted his chin. "I re-examined the wounds where she was severed in case I missed something by the maiming. There were a number of bruises on the inner elbow and outer shoulders I couldn't account for earlier."

"Lifting her sister could be a plausible reason for the bruising?"

Ducky paused momentarily before he explained. "Jaime was hit with something hard across the shoulder blades while she carried her sister, Jethro. If she was carrying her sister, the sister would have severe bruising on her right arm from the attack."

Gibbs turned to walk out of the lab at that moment with the Caf-Pow still in hand. Ducky remained watching his small screen and waited. Hach monitored the interaction between Abby and Agent Gibbs with mild interest.

Abby spun around. "I'm not done yet!"

Gibbs turned at the glass enclosure and returned to Abby.

"We ran the blood sample sent over from Bethesda from Seaman Bowman." She smiled knowing she was about to earn her Caf-Pow. "He's never used drugs. Ever." Abby paused for effect. "He's playing the victim."

"Not the first time we've had one of those." Gibbs handed Abby the Caf-Pow and turned towards the door.

Abby took a long sip watching Gibbs disappear out into the hall.

"Ooohhh." Abby grimaced. "He's mad."

Hach could only stare at Abby for clarification.

**Chapter Thirty-One**

In MTAC, Gibbs stood impatiently while Bowman's commanding officer, one Corporal Ronald Caymen chose to detail the many lies of Ray Bowman. A young man of almost twenty-eight, Corporal Caymen was a military man with the intention of putting in his twenty-year minimum. His hair was cut so short, there was no color on the screen. His blue eyes stood out against his tanned skin. The white wall from the office in Norfolk did not help to hide his tan either.

"He's been a liar since he first joined the team." Caymen's medium voice finished.

"You've had trouble with him before, Caymen?"

He nodded. "A number of small incidents with the others on his squad. Created a lot of animosity among his peers. Prior to his current assignment, his previous CO called me personally to warn me of his extracurricular antics."

"He find all the drug parties?" Gibbs suggested.

Caymen smirked. "No sir. He organized them. He was also good at finding a drug supply line and invited all of the enlisted who could keep the location secret." He got serious. "It got difficult to track his whereabouts when he went on leave."

"Am I to understand you couldn't catch him in the act?"

"No sir." Caymen appeared annoyed. "Slicker than a rock in an oil field. He was always two-steps ahead of us. We could never prove anything so I passed along my suspicions regarding Seaman Bowman to my superiors. If his previous CO hadn't made the same request, they probably would've never bothered to investigate. Where is he now?"

"Bethesda." Gibbs smirked. "Said he was car jacked and shot up."

"Lying again." Caymen shook his head. "Dealers never learn."

"Agreed." Gibbs motioned for the link to be cut. "Thank you, Corporal."

Caymen nodded towards Gibbs. "Always happy to help out NCIS, Agent Gibbs. I hope you catch him red handed."

The line went dead at that moment.

**Chapter Thirty-Two**

Tony and Ziva arrived at Bethesda hospital to take Ray Bowman into custody. They left the NCIS sedan at the front entrance and notified hospital security about their intentions. Since Bowman's blood work was clean, the hospital staff was treating him like an addict and keeping him occupied until NCIS could arrive.

"Ray Bowman must really hate addicts." Tony was positioned out of the sight of the doors in case Bowman was lurking in the hallway.

"What makes you say that?" Ziva eyed the digital read-out displaying the floor they were on, currently passing the 2nd Floor.

"Katey Van De Kemp was bruised from neck to toe." Tony decided against drawing his SIG since they were in a hospital. "She's been really sick from the pain killers." Tony paused to consider. "Funny how the addict is sick on pain killers." He got nothing from Ziva and continued. "Once the drugs were out of her system, she started to feel the bruises."

The doors opened to the elevator lobby on the fourth floor.

"Sounds bad." Ziva checked that the coast was clear and stepped out of the elevator on the fourth floor, drawing her SIG.

Tony whispered. "Yeah. Ray Bowman is a very bad dealer."

Ziva replied in almost a whisper. "Let's take him down then."

Tony nodded. They quickly made their way to his room only to find the bed was empty. No one else was there and the TV was on loud enough to appear as if someone was watching the game show. Ziva and Tony both checked the hallway finding no one around.

"We got a runner." Tony knew where to head.

"He couldn't have gotten that much of a head start on us." Ziva began a jog towards the exit sign where the stairwell was located.

Tony was already at the stairwell, pushing through the door. He paused at the railing to check for someone racing down the metal stairs. He saw nothing but decided to pursue as if he saw someone. Ziva followed him blindly.

Seconds later, Tony and Ziva burst through the lowest door to find Ray Bowman with his hands up looking into the barrel of Gibbs' SIG. His street clothes were dropped on the ground, his hospital gown hanging wide open in the back wearing boxer shorts. Ray appeared more annoyed than worried that he was caught.

**Chapter Thirty-Three**

Tony and Ziva returned to the Navy Yard wondering how Gibbs got to Bethesda so fast. They discussed the subject the entire way back to NCIS and up to the Squad Room. McGee was sitting at his desk when they arrived. Gibbs took Ray Bowman to Interrogation Room One to let him simmer for a few hours then spill his guts about the murder of Jaime Van De Kemp and the intentional overdose of Royo Billings.

Ziva spoke out loud. "I swear Gibbs broke at least one land record."

Tony eyed McGee at his desk and possibly spying Abby Sciuto leaving the Squad Room after gossiping about NCIS personnel again. "More like three." He dropped his field bag and walked up to Tim's desk with the look of 'tell me' on his face.

McGee looked up in time to note the expression. "You just missed Abby."

"So what did you learn this time, McGossip?"

Tim frowned then shrugged. "She wouldn't tell me."

Ziva watched Tim McGee closely. "About the case?"

"No." Tim shrugged again. "She was looking for Hach. Apparently they have a play date tonight. But she wouldn't tell me where they're going."

Tony smiled. "A play date?" He laughed. "With the Little Doc?" Then he turned serious. "Since when does Hach ever play, McPlayless?"

Tim smiled as he looked up and set his eyes on Tony DiNozzo. "I play more than you ever will, Tony." His smile widened. "And I've got the records to prove it."

Tony winced at the tone of the 'brag'. "Which scares me." He turned back towards his desk.

Ziva wanted to know. "Ever since Operation Swastika, have you noticed anything different between Hach and Gibbs?"

Tony sat at his desk and looked to Tim for aid. What the hell was Ziva driving at? Both appeared perplexed by the simple question. Ziva noted the exchanged and realized men did not bother with such minor details.

So she pointed out. "They're not awkward around each other."

Tony and Tim were still at a loss.

"They just pretended to be the happiest couple in the world…" Ziva lowered her voice. "…and now they act like nothing ever happened."

They were both still clueless as to why this mattered.

Tony straightened his back as Gibbs strolled past Ziva with a new coffee in his hand. She walked to her desk as if nothing happened and she spoke no words to her co-workers about the boss. Still, it seemed to bother her that neither Hach nor Gibbs showed any chemistry that was so obvious at the church between them since the Swastika Killer case. Was it just Abby and her imagining things?

**Chapter Thirty-Four**

Bowman sat confident in his chair across the table from Agent Gibbs. The agent whose gun he looked down the barrel of and was told if he tried to run, Gibbs would shoot him before he twitched. Only a thin manila folder lay on the table in front of the agent who only stared back at him coldly. The blue eyes were like ice.

"Dealing, Bowman?" Gibbs took out a photo of his father, grandfather, uncle and a young Ray out and slid it in front of the seaman. "Keeping the family business running till they get out?"

Ray said nothing. Gibbs pulled out another photo of Jamie Van De Kemp and another of her sister, Katey. Sliding them in front of Bowman, Ray did not look down at them. Gibbs paused then slammed his hand onto the table so loud, it echoed and shook the mirror behind him. Bowman jumped then settled.

His voice was low but dangerous. "You killed Jaime."

Ray said nothing.

"And then you gave Royo Billings an overdose to keep him from identifying you." Gibbs pulled out a smiling photo of Royo Billings in his high school graduation gown. "His family just pulled him off life support this morning." Gibbs noted the tightening of Ray's jaw.

Again, Ray Bowman said nothing.

Gibbs got to his feet. "You're going down for them both."

When he reached the door, Ray Bowman spoke. "I didn't kill Royo."

That made Gibbs turn towards the young man who was now looking over his left shoulder at him. It was clear there was something more to talk about after all. Gibbs returned to the table to see how far he could get with Ray Bowman.

**Chapter Thirty-Five**

In Interrogation Room Two, Tony DiNozzo sat across from Kiley Martin. She appeared to be the sweet girl from a small town with no history of drug use. In fact, her hair and blood samples were completely clean according to Abby's analysis. Unlike Jasmin Orton who preyed on addicts to raid their wallets when they got high, Kiley was worse.

Kiley Martin sat nervously across from Agent DiNozzo. His eyes were colder and his expression blank. He was difficult to read at the moment. Jasmin said he was the push over of Agent Gibbs' team and that she had nothing to worry about.

"Why am I here exactly?" Kiley eyed the manila folder in front of the agent.

"You helped Ray Bowman." Tony offered to start.

"He usually asks me to help out." Kiley knew how cops operated. "His parties are usually good so I don't mind."

"You like drugging up the local kids, Miss Martin?" Tony appeared serious. "Or should I call you Carla Montrose?" He leaned back. "Or Sheila Consuelo?"

Kiley lost her innocent demeanor.

Tony knew he had her now. "Ray Bowman just rolled on you that you're his supplier." He smiled forcefully. "Ray needed to silence Jaime Van De Kemp. It was you who hit Jamie across the shoulders. She fell into Ray Bowman's arms and then he threw her in front of the harvester as it passed while party-goers were playing chicken."

Kiley said nothing, turning into a wood pole as the agent spoke.

Tony wanted to know one last detail. "What was it about Royo Billings that made you drug him up so much?"

Kiley said nothing folding her arms.

"He saw your drug shipment." Tony knew about her storage locker down in town. "You receive shipments from a company in Asia. A Chinese tea dealer. Only it's not tea, is it Miss Martin?"

Kiley remained silent.

"You don't have to say anything." Tony stood up. "We have all your shipment inventories and the manifests. We have your supplier. We have your local dealer, Ray Bowman." He smiled genuinely. "And now we have you."

Kiley lifted her chin. "You have nothing. That's why you brought me here." She huffed. "To get me to confess to your ludacrist theory."

Tony shook his head. "We needed you out of your house to search it with a warrant." He smiled again. "It's a shame you never threw anything out."

The door to Interrogation Room Two opened where Ziva David and Tim McGee stood waiting to take her into custody. Behind them were two NCIS agents holding a stack of manifests and four kilo's of drugs in evidence bags.

Tony glanced up at the ceiling. "I think that's worth twenty-five to life."

Kiley's mouth gaped open.

**Chapter Thirty-Six**

Gibbs debriefed Director Vance on the case and the eventual outcome. Though it was a good cover, there was another reason for Gibbs visit tonight. His team was currently on their way home for the night.

It was a small consolation. "We shut down the Consuelo Cartel's small ring here in DC and eastern Virginia."

"The DEA isn't going to like us for awhile." Vance knew the DEA agents well enough they despised other agencies making busts.

"Hardly worth losing sleep over, Leon." Gibbs wondered why Vance granted him a visit.

At that moment, Dr Hature walked into the Director's office unannounced. Both were surprised by her sudden appearance and she did not seem to care they were talking. Yet, Gibbs took an extra long look over at Dr. Hature before turning to Vance.

Vance looked to Hach. "Dr. Hature?" He stood behind his desk.

"I have The Reaper's file here, Director." Hach arrived at Director Vance's desk. "Miss Sciuto and I have tracked down some of his most recent movements."

Gibbs said nothing.

Vance spoke evenly. "Give the file to Gibbs, Dr. Hature."

Hach held the file to her side waiting for Gibbs to take it. However before he stretched his hand for it, she allowed the file to drop to the floor. Gibbs sighed and decided against retrieving the remarkably intact file from the floor. Vance looked to Hach suspiciously.

"Next time you try to investigate me, Agent Gibbs." She glanced over her shoulder at Gibbs. "You are not the only one with contacts in other agencies."

Vance was amazed Hach caught Gibbs sneaking around and asked Gibbs directly. "Is this true?"

Gibbs said nothing, taking a drink of his coffee.

Hach said. "Agent Gibbs, I suggest you pick up the file." She looked to Gibbs with a slight smile on her lips and nodded towards the file. "The number contained in that file is the last known cellphone used by The Reaper."

The expression on Gibbs face told her he was considering picking up the file. But he chose to drink his coffee in her presence. So she knew what had to be done now. Hach turned and walked towards the door without being dismissed by the director. She opened the door and left the Director's office with a sense of accomplishment.

When the door closed, Vance looked to Gibbs curious as to who would pick up the file. "What are you trying to do exactly?"

"She's hiding more than why she lost her agent status." Gibbs knew there was something wrong with the Little Doc, as DiNozzo called her.

Vance hoped Gibbs would uncover more information than this. "What did Kort tell you?"

"According to their file, she's squeaky clean." Gibbs did not buy the security clearance explanation. "That means they got her report on The Reaper which means..."

Vance finished for him. "…she's being protected by the higher ups." He was unsure by whom. "I'm not entirely sure by which agency at the moment."

Gibbs knew it was risky trying but he needed to know how Hach would react. "I thought she would be…angrier."

Vance almost laughed. "You don't know her well enough yet." He paused. "Keep your inquiries quiet for now. We'll have to tap other sources."

"You mean there's someone she doesn't know in Congress, the FBI, CIA, or the NSA?" Gibbs knew Hach was a dangerous woman having that many ties.

Vance needed a secondary confirmation. "Kort didn't have anything to add?"

Gibbs shook his head. "If he does, he's keeping it to himself."

"Which means, Hach has something on Kort." Vance shook his head then sighed. "She's got more secrets than Congress."

"She'll lead us to The Reaper and Perfecto." Gibbs felt confident in this statement.

"The Reaper has a personal interest in his sister-in-law." Vance knew something about Reaper and Perfecto did not mesh. "I have no doubt he'll find us again. My sources tell me the CIA has their own problem. Someone called Lynx."

Gibbs frowned at the name. "Another assassin?"

"Female." Vance nodded. "And just as perfect as The Reaper and Perfecto. They might be part of the L-12. A group called the Lucky 12. The name only surfaced recently. I've made a few inquiries to other agencies wondering if they've been targeted by the L-12 recently. I might have to go global as well."

There was one more subject. "What about SecNav?'

Vance stopped to look at Gibbs. "What I know I can't tell you yet." But he would eventually. "Keep pushing Dr. Hature. Now that Miss Sciuto's gotten under her skin, we might just get through the rest."

"You're using Abby to get to Hature?" Gibbs was almost appalled.

"Fastest way to a genius is to use another scientist who reveres them." Vance knew Gibbs relationship with Miss Sciuto. "I'm not asking Miss Sciuto to break any laws or spy on her. She's best at being herself." Which led to another question. "Any awkwardness since the Swastika case?"

Gibbs only looked at Vance. "Did she appear awkward to you, Leon?"

"That's cause you made her mad." Vance wondered and found Gibbs silent. "Well?"

Gibbs shook his head offering nothing.

If the woman harbored any emotions since their heated embrace at his home, she hid them well from others. Her face was blank a majority of the time. However, around Abby, she did appear more 'normal' and interacted with his team pleasantly enough unless DiNozzo was around. Apparently, something about DiNozzo irritated the doctor that she turned chilly towards him. It was driving Tony crazy trying to figure out what he did and why.

Vance did not hide his minor frustration. "I didn't think being around you would help our cause." He paused noting Gibbs take a breath in. "No insult intended. You aren't exactly a people person, Gibbs."

"Yeah." Gibbs knew what his mission entailed.

The two left their conversation at that.

**Chapter Forty**

The Squad Room was dim tonight as Gibbs, Ziva, Tony and Tim sat quietly at their desks finishing up closing out the case. The paperwork was immense and the bookings took some time to get through. But the Van De Kemps and the Billings would rest easier knowing their losses brought down a major drug ring operating in the Virginia and DC area. The parents took it the hardest since the deaths of their children came at the hands of drug dealers. Both died to hide the truth; one an addict who saw too much and one trying to save her sister's life.

Tim wrote the final version of the report since it was his Uncle Teddy's property where the murder took place. NCIS would have it cordoned off for a while before they allowed anything to happen to the crime scene. In case there was an appeal that came immediately from either person charged for the murders.

Tony threw a waded paper at Tim to get his attention and got up from his desk to mosey on over to McGee's desk to discuss the subject foremost on his mind. "What's up with the Little Doc? She's been moody all day." Tony glanced at Gibbs not paying attention to him.

Ziva returned from the women's restroom and rounded the cubicles to come out by McGee's desk. She paused to join the whispered conversation. Gibbs pretended to be oblivious to his agents' sudden congregation at McGee's desk. The work closing the case was pretty much resting on McGee writing the final draft.

Tim decided it was no big secret after all. "My Uncle Teddy left me the farm after he died in a living trust so I don't have to go through probate court. My cousin Jeff, Uncle Teddy's son, is drug addict and wouldn't know what to do about it except sell it and spend the money on more drugs. Hach is on the board for Camp Little Hero's. They might buy the property off me."

Ziva frowned. "Why not just donate the land?"

Tim rolled his eyes. "I wish I could. What a tax deduction." He sighed then continued. "Uncle Teddy put a clause in the trust that prevented me from just donating it out right. I have to be paid fair market value for the land if I wish to get rid of it."

Tony and Ziva both nodded understanding why Uncle Teddy did not want his land just given away.

Ziva whispered. "That doesn't explain Hach's recent polite behavior."

Tony nodded towards Gibbs and suddenly had a thought of his own. "Did you turn her down when she asked you out?" He appeared rather proud of his revelation.

Tim frowned then smiled. "Hach doesn't like men younger than her." But he felt he needed to add. "But then, she doesn't date anyway."

Ziva snickered at the expression on their very Special Agent Tony DiNozzo's face. He was unsure how to feel about that statement. Men younger than her?

"She's like twenty-eight, right?" Tony asked cautiously.

Suddenly Gibbs smirked at his desk. Ziva laughed softly on her way back to her desk and Tim McGee kept his laugh silent but apparent on his face. Tony stood looking at his desk waiting for someone to tell him how old the Little Doc was currently.

**Chapter Forty-One**

Down in the Forensics lab, another closing was occurring, the end of an era of missing out on the simplicities of a childhood that some never get to experience. Hach held up the dog collar closed and locked into a ring. Frowning, she pondered the meaning behind this attempt by Abby Sciuto to explain the intricacies of this game.

On the floor where Gibbs once found a line of tape, Abby completed a simple hopscotch board outlined by the blue painters tape she had in the lab. Each square was labeled with a number and the modest attempt at a half circle at the end was commendable for using tape. Since it would never be used for its true purpose, Abby decided to save it from going to waste in a closet somewhere at NCIS. Once the evidence was completed and stored away in the evidence locker, she was able to focus on educating Little H.

"See, it goes like this." Abby tossed hers onto the floor in the squares made with blue tape.

She then proceeded to hop into each square on one platform-fitted foot, missing the square with her own latched collar, until she reached the semi-circle then turned around and came back, picked up the collar, then finished hopping back to the start.

"See?" Abby spun to face Hach. "It's easy."

"And how is this fun to a nine year old?" Hach did not see the merit of playing since it required basic balance and the desire to hop on one foot.

"Well, when you're nine." Abby knew she would have Hach hopping shortly. "It's one of the few things you and your friends would know already and play together."

"An activity to complete when hanging out?" Hach queried getting only a nod from Abby then she asked. "How does this work again?"

"The point is, throw the collar on a square." She demonstrated by throwing the collar onto the floor. "Where ever it lands, you have to miss that square by hopping on one foot on single squares, two feet on side-by-side squares." Abby pointed at the end at the semi-circle space. "When you reach the half moon, turn around, pick up your marker and come back to where you started."

"That is the point of this game?" Hach was mystified by the simplicity.

"But you also have to avoid stepping on the lines and such, in addition to not hopping into the square with my marker as well."

Hach sighed at the simple request to perform said task. "It appears relatively straight forward."

"Yep." Abby smiled then nodded. "It's easy to an adult."

Hach straightened. "We will see about that." And threw the fastened dog collar onto a square.

A smile touched Hach's lips as it landed on square number three.

THE END

_NEXT TIME on NCIS…_

_Gibbs and the team follow a cellphone number used by The Reaper that leads them straight to…_

…_Anthony DiNozzo Senior?_


	40. Episode 14: Enemies Nest Part 1

**NCIS Season 9**

**Episode 9.14.1**

**Enemies Nest**

**By: Lady JenDragon**

**Disclaimer: **We know the drill, NCIS isn't mine except my own characters.

**Author's Notes: **I have not had time to sit down and write like I want to anymore it seems!

* * *

**ENEMIES NEST**

**Chapter One**

The small side street in DC was bustling this early this afternoon despite the cold in the breeze. Nothing was going to stop DC from business as usual today. Except for the pair of NCIS agents walking briskly towards the alleyway. Tony and Ziva kept their eyes open and quickly scanned side to side from behind sunshades though it was cloudy this late morning. Then Tony pressed his right hand to his ear to hear Tim McGee say.

"Go into the alley." McGee commanded softly. "You can cut through and avoid more crowds."

Tony and Ziva followed the directions given by Tim McGee over their headsets. Gibbs was visiting the FBI when Hach finally tracked the phone number used to keep the serial killer, Ryan Nickson, informed of Hach's position before their second encounter with The Reaper. And it was back in DC being used near an alleyway.

"We're almost in position." Tony whispered into his microphone.

Tim replied. "The Reaper's moving again!" His keyboard strokes were heard over the connection. "It's got to be a place full of people!"

"It's a trap, Tony!" Ziva spoke just loud enough to be heard from behind. "Be careful!"

McGee added. "He's moved into the alley across from a restaurant, Tony." There was a pause. "Head across the street and you can surprise him from the south."

Tony winced at the 'be careful' from Ziva. He gripped his SIG in his right hand tightly and replied quickly over his shoulder. "I want this guy!" He checked the traffic once more and crossed the street heading for the alleyway McGeek told him to take to surprise the Reaper. "Oh yeah." His voice was thin. "He's mine this time."

After crossing the street, Tony did not hesitate entering the alley. Ziva looked down each sidewalk before entering the alley. She remembered her first encounter with The Reaper that almost ended up being her final house call. The Reaper liked to stage his chases with law enforcement to ensure his escape. He had now used explosives twice to evade NCIS capture. Tony and she barely survived the first encounter. The second encounter was set-up in the building on the bay to guarantee that all would who entered the building survived only if they fell to the ground. Gibbs and the others barely survived because everyone somehow managed to get knocked off their feet.

Today was different she felt. Part of her hoped it was not another trap. How many more explosions could she survive? Was this just another decoy to lure NCIS away from the true mission of The Reaper? With Perfecto and The Reaper running around, she felt like they had no control over either case. And both adversaries were experts in leading them on a wild geese chase. She blinked realizing she lost Tony around the corner. Her heart raced as she pressed her quick walk into a slow enough jog. If she came around the corner it would appear that she was out exercising and not paying attention.

"Tony!" Ziva warned over her radio. "You know this is dangerous territory!"

That did not affect his decision to enter the alley. "It's a good area." Tony replied softly. "He's not doing anything suspicious, McGee?"

"Still there." Tim answered. "He hasn't left the t-intersection, Tony." There was a pause. "Looks like he's just circling his location. Could be looking for his target. There are several high-end restaurants nearby. I'd move in ASAP when you get into position."

Tony and Ziva came to where the alleyway T'd where Tim indicated they would find their target. The Reaper stood twenty feet from the intersection. Tony waited for Ziva to catch up at the corner of the building. He could feel every muscle tingle in anticipation of getting the surprise on The Reaper for once. Would they survive a third encounter if he rigged something?

Tony made eye contact with Ziva and whispered. "On three."

She nodded and readied her SIG in both hands. Then Gibbs came up with his SIG in hand, across the alley from them. He nodded towards DiNozzo indicating Tony had lead on this one. Tony signaled his directions and Gibbs nodded back. He and Ziva would take the left, Gibbs the right. Tony motioned they were going on 'three'. Gibbs waited for the signal.

"Three!" Tony rounded the corner and pointed his weapon.

Ziva went low and around Tony pointing her weapon at the figure with the phone to his ear. Gibbs was around the corner. He frowned then lowered his weapon. Tony's eyes were wide with shock. Ziva looked to Tony wondering what to do.

Tony lowered his SIG, his face in shock and surprise. "Dad?"

Tony Senior merely turned at the orders and looked at his son quizzically. "Junior."

Gibbs looked to Ziva then at his agent. Rolling his eyes, he lowered his SIG and put it away. He realized they had been led on another wild pointless chase by The Reaper. Ziva appeared upset at the turn of events and he moved to console her.

**Chapter Two **

Tim McGee sat at his desk with the Bluetooth-like contraption on his head. He sat in awe of what just transpired. The elevator dinged indicating the arrival of the team from the field. The Reaper got the one-up on them again! Even in MTAC he was unsure how Director Vance would take the news of The Reaper leading them to Tony's dad.

Gibbs was first off the car followed by Ziva with a smirk on her face. Clearly something transpired from the alley to NCIS to amuse her. Tony was next off the elevator with a scowl on his face followed by his father, Anthony DiNozzo Senior smiling, his coat hung lazily over his arm.

"Once again, I find myself at NCIS." He looked around as if there might be something that changed in the office. "Looks the same since the last time I was here."

Tony DiNozzo Junior mumbled irritated. "Nothing changes around here." Reaching his desk, he dropped his bag behind his desk then proceeded to make a lot of noise as he put his weapon and ID away.

"How did it go?" Tim asked Tony, Junior.

Tony glared at him. "I found my father, McDuh!" He hated that The Reaper once again slipped through their fingers. "How do you think it went?"

Tim smirked but had to refrain from smiling openly.

Gibbs turned to Tony DiNozzo Senior. "How did you get the phone?"

"Oh." Tony Senior smiled charmingly at Ziva. "A nice gentleman gave it to me." He noted Junior was not happy so he focused on Agent Gibbs. "Said he no longer needed it."

"Is this him?" Tim tapped his keyboard and brought up a photo of William Shepard instead of asking for a description.

Tony Senior took a long look at the photo. "Looks like him." He seemed remarkably at ease. "He was clean shaven though. Told me his ex-wife paid the phone up for a year so I could make any call I needed. Even global calls." He hesitated then looked to Gibbs. "Will I be getting the phone back?"

Gibbs only glared at Senior. Senior looked to Junior who nodded 'no'.

Tony added for his father's sake. "It's been confiscated for one of our on going cases."

Senior sighed and shrugged accepting the fate of the phone. "I sort of figured." Senior pushed his hands into his pockets. "I've got my own anyway."

Abby rushed in the office to accept the phone from Gibbs for analysis and paused seeing Tony Senior with his son. "Oh, hello again!"

"Abby!" Tony Senior beamed at her. "Shouldn't you be at home by now?"

"Nah!" Abby waved him off. "I need to analyze this phone to find out where it's been." She smiled widely. "Big case."

"You certainly seem concerned about its history." Tony Senior noted the serious expressions of his son's co-workers.

Abby frowned. "Tony barely survived The Reaper twice." She was resolute. "He's not getting a third chance."

Senior looked to his son. "You never mentioned this before."

DiNozzo Junior glared at Abby who smirked then zipped her lips shut. "It's work, Dad." He glanced at his desk. "I can't just pick up the phone and have a 'hey dad, almost got blown up twice by this psycho' conversation." He paused. "It's work."

Senior considered saying something but thought better of it turning and looking towards Abby. "You mind if I join you in the lab, Abby?"

"Sure." She smiled and offered him a bent arm. "I have Dr. Hature, Hach we call her, with me ready to get this thing buzzed. So you'll have play nice with the other kiddies."

"I promise to be kind." He walked forward to take her arm and smiled handsomely. "Is that Dr. Guinevere Hature?"

Abby brightened. "You know her?"

Senior winked at his son then turned with Abby towards the lab almost a bit too eager to go meet Dr. Hature. "I've heard of her." He smiled connivingly. "I was actually hoping to meet her."

Tony moped at his desk and sat down, his face in his hands.

That meant there was something going on no one knew about. Or maybe they knew and failed to mention it to his team. Gibbs looked up towards MTAC to find no one standing there. He walked past Tony and rounded the stairs climbing them three at a time towards MTAC.

**Chapter Three**

Leon Vance knew this case was not going to be easy. Dressed in a black suit, red tie, and white shirt, he appeared as a federal Director ready for a formal dinner this evening. He turned from the window to face Gibbs when the agent entered the office. Once Gibbs relayed the whole incident Vance leaned forward on his hands spread out on his desk. Gibbs wondered if he knew more than he was telling. He knew Gibbs long enough to understand the range of glares.

He did not want to deal with this today. "The Reaper lured us to DiNozzo senior?"

"Looks like." Gibbs hated where this was going. "He's proving to us that it's easy for him to access our families."

"You think The Reaper will make a move on any of our families?" Leon stood up folding his arms.

"At this point, I don't know what he's doing." Gibbs knew tactics were a mercenary's first line of defense. "But he sure as hell wants our attention." He paused to consider the obvious. "The Reaper's far more capable of reaching us than we are him."

"I don't blame you for being pissed off about it, Gibbs. I would be too." Leon noted the look in Gibbs' eye. "He's just as effective as Perfecto at escaping capture." He paused. "Where's the elder DiNozzo now?"

"With Abby." Gibbs winced at the idea of DiNozzo senior moving around his people. "She's distracting him for the time being."

"Is that a good idea?"

"Abby can handle herself." Gibbs knew she would not accept unwanted invites from the elder DiNozzo. "It's why The Reaper chose to make his presence known to Tony's father that bothers me. Why give him the phone he's been using the past few months?"

Leon wanted answers. "Figure it out, Gibbs." He set his eyes hard. "Make it a priority."

That made Gibbs happy that he could focus his team completely on finding The Reaper again.

**Chapter Four**

Tony felt helpless and he was sure The Reaper knew it. There was nothing he could at this juncture and it only served to remind him how limited he was to go after this guy. Tim and Ziva stood by him at his desk almost in a lazy huddle discussing the subject quietly as possible. They kept their voices low to minimize the number of people who could over hear them.

Tony said suddenly. "Damn him!"

"He's proving he can get to any of our families, Tony." Ziva knew The Reaper was professional. "He's just toying around with us."

"And why's that, Ziva?" Tony wanted to know.

"He wants us to pay him attention when the time's right." Ziva knew how mercenary's operated. "Clearly he has something in mind."

"Like a game?" Tim wanted to know if it was a game, what 'kind' of game was it exactly.

"Possibly." Ziva nodded that it might be a game. "His movements over the last month suggests he's drawing our attention towards something without being overtly obvious about the target. He's leaving clues but there isn't enough to decipher the identity of the target."

"So it's a game of strategy then." Tim realized he missed the point of the exercise this morning.

Ziva nodded realizing Tony was concentrated on his father at the moment. "Otherwise he would've killed us all off by now."

Tony lamented. "He's had so many opportunities to try."

"It's obvious he has the ability." She hated feeling inferior to an opponent.

"Yeah." Tony tapped on the hand she was leaning on, on top of his desk the he sighed. "And how do you explain that to my 'dad' who doesn't see the violent world as we do?"

"Ziva's right." Tim jumped in. "The Reaper's gotta be leading us somewhere, Tony. Once Hach and Abby analyze the phone's chip and back tracks his movements from the last few months we'll have a better understanding of why he wants us to follow him around."

Tony made the realization. "Like a 'don't-forget-me kind of thing."

Tony and Ziva did not feel any better about the situation earlier. The Reaper still escaped and used a NCIS family member to do it. They noted Gibbs coming down the stairs in what they called a seemingly Gibbs version of 'happy'. He typically took the elevator down to avoid the stairs aggravating his knee. But not today.

Gibbs passed his team congregated by Tony's desk. "Come on." And heading towards the lab.

"Where we going, boss?" Tim wondered what the lab could have that required everyone's attendance.

"We're back on The Reaper case." Gibbs shot over his shoulder. "Let's go find out what Daddy DiNozzo's doing in DC."

All three followed Gibbs towards the laboratory immediately. Tony was eerily creeped by Gibbs use of 'Daddy DiNozzo' but said nothing following after the group towards the laboratories.

**Chapter Five**

Tony Senior appeared more interested in Dr. Hature than Abby's explanation of why they wanted to know the history of the phone's whereabouts. Hach made the point of not showing any discomfort at the unwanted attention from the senior DiNozzo though Abby could tell she was annoyed. Gibbs, McGee, Ziva and Tony Junior arrived in the lab, Abby noted the expression of relief Hach showed towards Tony's father at the sudden interruption of his charms.

Gibbs question was direct. "Why are you in DC, Mr. DiNozzo?"

Tony Senior was unphased by Gibbs questioning. "I'm meeting with Oscar McDougal of Dansboro Technology later today."

Abby looked towards Hach. "Isn't that a competitor of…"

Hach shook her head and showed no interest in pursuing an explanation. Gibbs noted the expression on the doctor's face and wanted to know.

"Competitor of what?" Gibbs moved towards Dr. Hature.

"I have stock in Global Technologies since I design several operating systems." Hach decided it was best to be honest. "Global is a direct competitor to Dansboro Technology where the military is concerned. Dansboro does not operate in the commercial sector whereas Global does in addition to their military contracts."

Abby added. "Hach sells her designs to Global and they manufacture and distribute the equipment and operating systems."

"What kind of equipment?" Gibbs wanted to know.

Tim joined in on the explanation. "GPS systems, drive systems, new expansions into nanotechnology, and life support systems just to name a few." He paused. "All with military and civilian applications. There are over a hundred designs she's responsible for, some which haven't been patented yet."

"With a few upgrades thrown in for diversification." Hach wanted full disclosure at this point with Agent Gibbs. "I have no direct dealings with Global. I use an executive mediator to avoid a conflict with my work at NCIS."

Gibbs looked to Hach. "When do you have time for this?"

Hach frowned at Gibbs then looked to the map as the cellphone's history was being retraced on the large plasma in the lab. Tony and Ziva felt at a loss that they were not aware of Hach's extracurricular activities outside of NCIS. Yet Tim and Abby were seemingly caught up on all the details.

Ziva was at a loss for what the clause was called. "An executive mediator?"

Hach nodded then looked over to Ziva. "I hired a mediator for the business operation portion of my share holding in Global Technologies. Business has never been my cup-of-tea." She looked to the elder DiNozzo who smiled at her widely. "Which makes me suspicious of Oscar McDougal's interest in you, Mr. DiNozzo."

Senior seemed more than happy to share. "Oscar wanted me to find out more about his company. There's more to the story so he wishes to meet me at a local public library to give me what he has. He believes there's design stealing going on inside the company." He suddenly felt bored. "We're meeting tomorrow at ten."

Gibbs pointed out. "This is out of our jurisdiction."

Hach folded her arms. "Dansboro does supply the Navy with some systems for its ships. There might be an angle NCIS could work in to get the case turned over."

"It's mostly just navigation systems and programming for subs." Tim added. "But we'd need proof there's something hinkey going on at Dansboro Technology before we can even intervene."

Hach made the point. "If Mr. DiNozzo is willing to turn over to NCIS what McDougal gives to him tomorrow and claim that NCIS might be at risk, we could weakly argue the point with Director Vance and the SecNav."

Tony Senior's cellphone began ringing at that moment. Pulling out his personal phone, he looked at the caller ID screen. Another smile crossed his face.

"This is Oscar now." Senior flipped open the phone and walked towards the glass enclosure where the door once was hinged. "Oscar…good to hear from you." He paused reaching the lab exit. "Yes, I've arrived. I'm with my son for a quick visit now." He listened for a moment. "Really?"

Gibbs eyed Tony Senior then looked towards Tony Junior. "Until we find out how this plays out, we focus on The Reaper." He looked at the large plasma then over to Abby. "How much longer on the trace?"

Tony Senior interjected on his phone. "Tonight?"

"Another few hours." Abby had been watching its progress since Gibbs arrived to question Senior. "It's been going faster since Hach reprogrammed the extraction program I have." She seemed suddenly self-conscious.

Gibbs turned to Tony Senior closing his cellphone.

"Oscar wants to meet me tonight." Senior looked over at Dr. Hature. "He wants Dr. Hature there too."

Gibbs glanced over at Hature suddenly annoyed that her evening was disrupted. "We have a case for NCIS jurisdiction."

Senior looked to Hature. "We less than an hour, my dear." And extended his arm towards Hach.

She merely considered the gesture then walked past him into the hall. Her temporary office, currently located on the first floor, was where her coat was located. This would leave Gibbs' team time to come up with a plan.

Tony Junior added softly watching his father follow Hach out of the lab. "How did Oscar McDougal know my dad was here?"

Ziva and Tim looked to one another.

**Chapter Six**

Tony Junior sat next to Gibbs in the passenger seat of the dark blue Dodge Charger. The street café was fifty feet ahead of them where they could see Senior and Dr. Hature sitting side by side at a window table next to the wall. It was a mom-and-pop joint with poor lighting and worse décor. The walls were bright yellow strewn with an assortment of paintings meant to be 'art'.

"I don't believe it!" Tony grumbled softly beside Gibbs as the chatter from the table was heard in his earpiece. "We finally catch a break and it leads directly to my dad."

"Reaper's using him, Tony." Gibbs made the observation on purpose.

"To show me how easy it is to get to him?" That angered him. "He's a businessman…not a…" Tony left the rest unsaid.

Gibbs understood what Tony meant and added softly. "Unless The Reaper wanted us to get this Oscar McDougal out into the open?"

Tony slowly turned to look at Gibbs. "An assassination?"

"Possible." Gibbs shrugged. "It's what I'd do."

To jump out of the car and run for his dad would give away their position and destroy any chance of taking The Reaper down. That gave Tony the creeps just thinking about it as his gaze returned to where his father conversed with Dr. Hature. The Little Doc appeared more annoyed than eager to aid them this evening. Still, it bothered him that his father was suddenly interested in the doctor and seemed to know more about her than he did. And he worked for NCIS. He never knew who Dr. Hature was until she was temporarily assigned to the Navy Yard.

Gibbs smirked at the preposterous idea. "Looks like wife number five to me."

"I think I'm going to be sick." Tony narrowed his eyes as the idea that occurred to him. "It's not her, it's her bank account he has in mind."

Gibbs chuckled softly.

**Chapter Seven**

Hach flickered her gaze from where she sat in front of the window towards Ziva and McGee occupying a table against the back wall. Each had a coffee with one cookie placed between them and pretended to be looking at the real estate section of the newspaper left on their table. They discussed options softly so as to not draw any attention to themselves.

The place was dingy and the sloppy man in white clothes and filthy white apron behind the only counter was whistling as he made deli sandwiches. The bright yellow walls hurt the eyes and the floor tiles last cleaning was probably years ago. Hach felt the place was too open. Too easy.

"I see no reason I should be apart of this meeting, Mr. DiNozzo."

"Please." Tony Senior said charmingly. "Call me, Tony."

She knew what the charm was for from men like Tony DiNozzo Senior. Hach only silently considered the prospect and was unimpressed speaking softly to her companion.

"Mr. McDougal is not the kind of man I thought would stoop to meeting in such places."

At that moment, a man arrived at the table in a dark blue sweat suit with the hood pulled up over his head. Oscar McDougal was a man in his mid-forties and fit. His face was handsome, with a conniving smile and gray at the temples. Hach recognized him immediately from the pictures she occasionally ran across in the news and on-line. Tony Senior rose to greet the man and she followed suit.

Oscar McDougal bent his head towards Hach and smirked. "Dr. Hature, I'm surprised you came after all."

Hach replied evenly. "Your request for my presence this evening has me intrigued."

"Ever the professional." Oscar replied softly. "You should loosen up some time. Maybe take a vacation to an island and get a tan."

"I do not like sand, Mr. McDougal." Hach knew well what he meant.

"Oscar." Tony Senior wanted to be kept in the conversation, offering a hand to shake as he stood beside Dr. Hature awkwardly. "How are you?"

"Tony." Oscar said nodding towards the elder gentleman, forcing a quick smile that showed off the brilliant white of his teeth.

Oscar nodded but refrained from shaking hands with the elder DiNozzo and studied the building across the street, behind the unlikely pair. Oscar waved the senior DiNozzo to sit down. He glanced around then took the seat against the wall with Tony Senior blocking his view of the street and motioned for the pair to sit with him.

Oscar looked directly at Hach. "You have two teams in place?"

Hach nodded and suddenly realized Oscar McDougal was more than a businessman.

"There are safer harbors." Hach knew how to code. "A game of chess, Mr. McDougal?"

A smile crept across his face. "I'm afraid I'm out of queens."

Hach countered. "I thought kings were more important?"

"Not the game for which I'm involved. The entire castle is up for grabs and the knights are pounding outside the bedchambers." He slid a flat white advertisement towards Hature. "I'm up for a concert with the jester. Are you, Lady Guinevere?"

Tony Senior was at a loss how to get into the conversation, his eyes flickering between the two.

Hach picked up the concert paper and felt the weight odd. "Concerts are not my thing. However, I should learn to keep an open mind."

"Yes." Oscar nodded. "Perhaps an open mind is best since you really don't know what you're up against these days." He glanced at Tony DiNozzo then back at Hach. "All sorts of family come out of the woodwork for a funeral."

That got Hach's attention. "Shame it takes a funeral for the family to come together."

"Sometimes." Oscar's eyes firmed. "The family's better off that way. My cousins, the Luckies, aren't the kind you want around."

Suddenly the window of the deli café exploded with gunfire. Tony Senior dove out of the way partially pushed by Hach. His body crashed into the table and chairs next to them, his arm protecting him from harm of falling debris. Hach let herself fall backwards then sideways onto the floor on her shoulder. Hach covered her head from the falling glass, her eyes closely partially to keep the dust from blinding her.

Then there was silence.

Tony Junior and Gibbs burst through the front door with their SIGs drawn and aimed. Hach crawled onto her knees to find Ziva and Tim McGee with their SIG's drawn and pointed up at the ceiling at the back of the deli. Ziva stared in her direction then nodded with a quick smile that Hach was okay. Tony Senior was already getting to his feet and dusting himself off. Hach noted that McGee's SIG was pointed towards the counter.

"What the hell happened?" Gibbs demanded.

"Junior." Tony Senior was on his feet. "You got here fast."

Tony holstered his SIG walking towards his dad to verify there were no injuries. "We were already on our way when Hach and Oscar started their cryptic conversation."

Hach was already next to the body of Oscar McDougal lying on the floor near where he once sat in the chair. His body fell forward onto the table then was pushed backwards onto the floor when Tony Senior and her hit the floor and overturned the table. There was an exit hole from a bullet in his forehead that kept his face towards the ceiling, the eyes partially open. Hach checked his vitals.

She stood up and looked to Gibbs. "McDougal's dead."

Gibbs sighed. "Assassination."

"The counter guy must've been placed to take him out." Tim McGee walked up to Oscar McDougal and Hach. "He didn't even notice I was there."

Gibbs was sure. "Where's Ziva?"

Ziva exited out of the back. "Checking the back for anyone else." She strode over to Gibbs. "The real worker, Steve, is in the back. Shot once in the head."

"Hit." Tony Junior agreed with Gibbs. "What did McDougal have that made him a target?"

Hach realized her cryptic conversation was not completely understood. "Lucky." Gibbs head perked up. "He knew about the Lucky 12…and The Reaper. He knew NCIS was looking for them."

Gibbs looked to Hach then down at the concert flyer. "Maybe he knows how to lead us to them."

Hach looked down at the concert flyer.

Tony, Tim and Ziva exchanged glances then realized there was one person who knew nothing about the topic. Tony Senior suddenly became aware of the fact that he was, once again, involved in a NCIS case.

**Chapter Eight**

Hach stood at the computer pouring over the code scrolling up the screen. She needed to process the paper given to her by Oscar McDougal. Abby stood with her arms folded reading the fast moving code as best she could beside McGee. They were in awe. Tony, Ziva, and Gibbs just watched as the scanner crossed the concert flyer millimeter by millimeter.

Tony was amazed that the Little Doc's eyes could move that fast. "How can she read that fast?"

"Speed reading." Abby responded softly so as not to disturb the doctor. "The flyer's covered in a code." She was shocked and took a step back then closed her eyes to clear them. "This is way out of my league."

"It's like a giant computer chip." Tim was amazed. "How did she know?"

"McDougal knew he could give it to Hach and she could read it." Ziva realized. "Oscar asked Mr. DiNozzo to bring Dr. Hature with him this evening. Either he knew he was at NCIS or knew Tony's father could find her easily now that she's in the DC area."

Tony added. "If he knows about the Lucky-12 then he knows about The Reaper."

Tim McGee looked up Oscar McDougal's history. "But McDougal's a legit businessman?" He paused. "He was working with the L-12?"

"Or part of it." Gibbs replied.

Tony nodded. "McDougal didn't look Irish to me either, boss."

At that moment, Hach turned towards the group waiting in a group near the glass enclosure to the Forensics Lab. Ducky was only in the beginning stages of the autopsy on Oscar McDougal. They were not as interested in those findings as those in the paper.

"From what I can decipher here." Hach brought up two windows on the large plasma. "McDougal was a money launderer for the L-12. According to the files he put on this concert flyer, he worked with them for more than twenty years." Hach was confused. "Still, there is much more here that will take time to download. His method for encryption was basic but the nature of the material and how the code was placed requires a delicate hand." She sighed slightly annoyed. "It will take the remainder of the night."

Abby stepped forward. "Then we'll do this in shifts."

Hach nodded then motioned the group off towards the back room. Abby grabbed Tim's arm and turned towards the back rooms of the lab.

"Looks like she's on first duty." Abby smirked. "You can use my office, Timmy."

Gibbs, Ziva and Tony left the lab.

**Chapter Nine**

Gibbs walked into the conference room to find DiNozzo Senior sitting with his head in his hands. The elder man was clearly tired and seemingly unable to sleep this evening. They would spend the remainder of the night at NCIS since The Reaper showed how easy he could access NCIS personnel family. It would be safer for everyone to remain at the Navy Yard.

The elder DiNozzo rose to his feet upon seeing Agent Gibbs. "Gibbs?" Tony Senior got to his feet to wake up.

Gibbs nodded then shrugged. "It'll take the rest of the night."

He sighed heavily. "Is Junior alright?"

"He's fine." Gibbs kept his voice soft. "He's more worried about you."

Tony Senior paused. "I never realized that Junior's job could be dangerous." He needed to clarify his tired mind but found thoughts difficult to connect at the moment. "An agent's trained for this kind of thing."

Gibbs noted the flicker of concern in Tony Senior. "As agents, we're trained to handle these situations." He paused on purpose. "Doesn't mean we're not affected when the people we care about get caught in the cross hairs."

Tony Senior only nodded.

Gibbs added. "There's a bed in the Forensics Lab you can use." He noted that DiNozzo Senior would never know where to go. "Come on."

Tony Senior was about to resist but decided against it and only nodded again.

**Chapter Ten**

After depositing DiNozzo Senior to bed, Gibbs wandered into Autopsy not so much for information on the victim but to discuss the fact that Oscar McDougal did not appear to be Irish. Or anywhere near Irish from the dark tone of his skin color. Ducky was waiting for him at his desk, doing nothing until Jethro arrived.

"I was wondering how long I would have to wait."

That made Gibbs pause to look over at his friend. "Duck?"

"Our friend here is more than just not-Irish." Ducky got to his tired feet heading towards the body covered across the hips with a towel and instrument tray set on top on the center autopsy examination table. "He was born and raised in Asia and clearly suffered multiple injuries throughout his young life."

The second body was placed the farthest away from Ducky's desk on the last examination table. He, too, had been studied and x-rays taken. Those results were snugly fit into the light panels on the wall matching the position of the occupied examination table. Gibbs noted Ducky did not have the x-rays for McDougal lit on the light panels for the medical examiner to make comparisons during the autopsies.

Gibbs frowned. "He was shot, Duck."

Ducky paused to glare at Jethro sternly. "Last night perhaps." He motioned towards the x-rays. "However, his legs show multiple injuries between the ages of eight to thirteen years. He was violently beaten seemingly often enough to cause massive fracturing and healing patterns. Even his arms and ribs show consistent abuse during the same time period."

"Training." Gibbs wondered.

"He was more than the book keeper for the L-12." Duck liked it when Jethro figured out the clues. "Our second victim, Mr. McDougal's assassin, also shows identical old injuries as our non-Irishman."

"McDougal's one of the L-12." Gibbs took a longer look at the dead body of Oscar McDougal.

"A group of well trained assassins, like the L-12, has to have someone in the accounting department." Ducky hated to think of assassins as a business. "The question becomes, Jethro: Did Oscar McDougal try to cut and run now that The Reaper and Perfecto are exposed?"

Gibbs said nothing.

"If they are members of the L-12, there's quite a mystery on our hands." Ducky headed towards the assassin. "I found some peculiar numbers behind the left ears of both our friends here."

Gibbs followed Ducky. They checked the assassin's ear where the '#6' was etched in bright black. Even in the dim light he could read it. They moved to Oscar McDougal and Ducky showed him the '#25' was etched similar to the assassin.

Gibbs said out loud since it felt too quiet. "Means something."

Ducky added. "I've sent blood samples to Abby for DNA identification. Oscar's prints come up in our records but not our assassin's. We have no record of the assassin in any of the local databases. Abby ran the prints through every database she could think of since he came into Autopsy last night."

Gibbs said confidently. "We'll ID him."

"Dr. Hature has the list of DNA from the children of Operation Reaper on file." Ducky eyed Gibbs noting the expression of tiredness on his friend's face. "That should confirm our suspicions if any of them match this fellow."

That gave Gibbs something to think about as he left Autopsy.

TO BE CONTINUED….


	41. Episode 14: Enemies Nest Part 2

**NCIS Season 9**

**Episode 9.14.2**

**Enemies Nest**

**By: Lady JenDragon**

**Disclaimer: **We know the drill, NCIS isn't mine except my own characters.

**Author's Notes: **Read. Let me know if there are any obvious or serious errors. Thanks!

* * *

**ENEMIES NEST**

**Chapter Eleven**

Later that morning, Hach stood at the computer when Gibbs walked into the lab with a Caf-Pow and a coffee. He strode over to the workstation to stand beside her.

Hach continued looking at the screen. "Bribing me?"

Gibbs offered her the coffee.

"Coffee is not my…thing." Hach refrained from mentioning that she just woke ten minutes ago from a rather long slumber since Abby wanted to take a crack at the code. "Abby is sleeping currently."

"You picked up on Oscar McDougal knowing about the L-12 last night." Gibbs took a drink of the refused coffee.

"I found it odd that he knew me well enough to greet me first." Hach smirked remembering to keep to conversational tones with Gibbs and the team. "Not Mr. DiNozzo who has obviously dealt with him before. I am not a recognized person in the business world, Agent Gibbs. I keep my photo out of publications for a reason."

Gibbs considered Hach's concentrated expression wondering why she was trying so hard to appear friendly. "You two ever meet before?"

Perhaps Dr. Hature was one of those women rarely concerned about others. He hoped to learn more about her past by getting to observe her while pretending to be a happy couple on a recent case. She required an explanation for every step and carried out her mission in exemplary fashion. Not that he would ever tell her. There was an air of expectation with Hature.

She felt cold and distant until the Swastika case where she consented to pretending to marry him to catch a serial killer. He remembered the kiss on his front sofa and shook his head to clear it. Since then, Hach made an effort to be civil towards those she considered to be the lesser members of the team. He initially thought it was because that her stay at the Yard was recently extended by a few extra months. These conversational tones were better and she appeared to be 'trying' to get along with DiNozzo.

"Never." Hach failed to remember ever physically running into Oscar McDougal until last night. "We linger in the same circles. However, I never once ran into him at any of the meet-and-greet parties for stockholders and our various associated entities." She paused remembering Oscar McDougal from last night. "I certainly would have remembered meeting him before last night."

"Not a social person, doctor?"

"More than you apparently." Hach noted the smirk on his face in the reflection on the equipment in front of them. "Being an engineer and an electrical systems designer does not preclude me from being forced into mandatory attendances."

Gibbs let the jab slide for now. "Anything else on the concert flyer?"

"Just some book keeping files at this point." Hach knew McDougal would make it difficult to get everything off the flyer. "Our victim overloaded the paper on purpose. I have not run across any files involving the L-12 since last night. My encryption algorithm is having difficultly loading the layers of information as quickly as I wish." Hach added. "Considering that the medium is paper, I am surprised I have not had more problems."

Gibbs wanted something else but she responded first. "But the alg…it is reading the paper?"

Hach took a breath to calm down and not take his question personally despite it sounding like an insult to her algorithm. "Yes." Then she realized Agent Gibbs might also be looking for other results from the evidence Jimmy Palmer recently brought up. "The DNA from the two victims are in the centrifuge and the results will not be in till later." Hach liked having Gibbs silent. "Abby will have the results for you probably this afternoon."

Gibbs knew he had to be patient though he wanted answers now.

Hach sighed once Agent Gibbs was gone. That was easier than she expected to be civil towards him as Abby instructed. Still, she insisted that practice would make perfect. And Hach knew all about doing things 'perfect'. Her entire life revolved around her being 'perfect'. Her body shook at that moment. She frowned wondering why she suddenly felt cold.

She surmised out loud. "Perhaps I require food?"

Hach returned to work and forgot about food.

**Chapter Twelve**

Three pairs of eyes stared at the plasma as if it was the latest, greatest movie ever shown on a television. Tony dressed in casual clothes of black trousers and green shirt. McGee wore a tweed jacket with white shirt and black trousers. Ziva was sandwiched between the other two agents dressed in an orange shirt and khaki pants.

"Your dad was wrong, Tony." Tim kept reading.

"The man was a CEO." Ziva was surprised. "Not some little departmental Vice President!"

Tony was shocked himself. "CEO of Dansboro Technology." That made him wonder what the man was up to recently. "Nothing in his history suggests any connection with the Lucky 12, or L-12."

Gibbs arrived in the Squad Room next to Tim McGee's desk to find his three agents already at the plasma screen by the stairs to MTAC going over histories for Oscar McDougal. Neither noticed he arrived. And apparently McDougal's history was engaging and massive. They were conversing in normal tones.

Tim was frustrated. "I can't find anything that links him to the L-12 using all the known aliases for the group." He sighed. "There's still a few more searches I'm running but so far, the man appears clean as whistle."

Tim spent a majority of the night at Abby's office computer. He did sleep a few hours while he set the search function on its way. Once the results came in, he was up sifting through all the information early this morning. His coffee was extra large this morning as well.

"Which means he hid his connections well." Tony knew money launderers knew how to hide trails. "I bet he used a fake employee name at the company."

"Had to be more than one if the L-12 were employed through Dansboro." Ziva offered.

Tim nodded. "Already thought of that. I'm verifying everyone with photos and addresses then I'm comparing those to the DMV records."

"We should do a physical visual verification at Dansboro." Ziva folded her arms. "In case we miss anyone."

Tony smirked raising his right hand in the air. "I vote for Ziva!"

Tim raised his hand as well. "I second that motion."

Both ran to their respective desks and got back to work.

"Hey!" Ziva glared at Tony first then over at Tim and folded her arms tightly.

Tony looked up from his desk and smiled. "You did think of it, probie."

Then Ziva caught sight of Gibbs drinking his coffee. Clearly Tim McGee never noticed the boss standing there watching them. She silenced her initial protest realizing that she wanted them to help her out. However, if they wanted to leave it to her then she was fine with doing the task alone. She could take all the credit for finding the employees missing from Dansboro Technology herself.

Tony's expression changed, his eyes shifting direction towards the elevator. "Guess housekeeping missed some dirt."

FBI Agent T.C. Fornell always enjoyed a few NCIS jabs as he walked into the Squad Room. "I feel the same way, 'DeNotzo'." His eyes shifted to where Gibbs stood near Tim McGee's desk leaning on the cubicle wall. "Gibbs."

He wore the heavy gray trench left to hang open with a dark gray suit with white shirt and black shoes. His hair appeared whiter these days. His once black hair was going away quickly the closer to retirement he got. There were a few more lines on his tired face.

Gibbs replied evenly. "Fornell."

Tony and Tim both glanced over at Gibbs surprised to find him standing there. Ziva smiled at Fornell on her way back to her desk. Gibbs motioned for Fornell towards the Conference Room but the FBI agent shook his head. That meant they needed a secured place for a conversation.

**Chapter Thirteen**

In the quiet of the elevator, Gibbs leaned against the wall next to the operation panel. Fornell leaned against the back wall, his eyes on the digital display above the doors. The doors closed and the elevator began moving. Gibbs switched the elevator to 'off' mode.

"What's so important now?"

"Like I want to visit you?" Fornell actually appeared offended. "You never cook on a regular basis."

Gibbs replied softly. "Why I don't cook."

Fornell knew Gibbs' sarcasm and got down to the point of his visit. "The L-12, that's what's going on."

"Come to take over, Tobias?" Gibbs knew the FBI had no jurisdiction at the moment.

"You can have this mess." Fornell pulled out the file from under his arm and held it out towards Gibbs. "Four members of the L-12 were recently killed in the last year." Fornell knew the file well. "All slashed across the throat from behind."

"Downsizing?"

Fornell quickly retorted. "It's the economy." Joking aside. "The file has four names: Greg Jackson, Elizabeth Stone, John Bluue, and Candy Jameson. All with numbers behind the left ear: twenty-six, twenty-eight, twelve, and twenty-four."

"Got six and twenty-five downstairs." Gibbs opened the file and read quickly.

"I came over as soon as I heard. We've been after Oscar McDougal for years trying to link him to the L-12." Fornell hated when the bad guys won. "He never had direct contact with the L-12 just to keep him safe from open prosecution. He got them the money when they needed it. How, we never found out. But it has to be through Dansboro Technology. We could never prove anything of course."

"Of course." Gibbs wondered. "Is Perfecto killing off his fellow L-12's?"

Tobias shrugged. "Probably." Then he sighed deeply. "Bastard's hard to catch. We think he works for Ring Leader. New front-runner arms dealer the past three years. Took over from a few recent dealers gone missing. Ring Leader's been more active in the last six months and he's expanding his operation fast. Something big's going down."

Gibbs wondered. "We know who the Ring Leader is?"

"Of course not." Fornell smirked. "We figured we'd leave that to NCIS since The Reaper and Perfecto seem to like you more." He smiled. "How's the new wife?"

Gibbs blinked then looked to Fornell. "We're not married, Tobias."

"Saw the announcement and the photo in the papers." Tobias knew it was a ploy. "I didn't think you were stupid enough to go through that again."

Gibbs smiled then laughed softly. "I should've though." He looked directly at Tobias and smiled wider.

Tobias knew what the smile meant. "How much she worth?"

This was fun. "A few hundred million." He shrugged.

"Whoa, ho hoooo." Tobias shook his head laughing. "That's all?"

"In the divorce." Gibbs smiled. "She'd be paying me alimony."

"Oh yeah." Fornell cursed under his breath. "Shoulda, coulda, didn't."

"Ain't that the truth?" Gibbs sighed this time and pressed the number '4', flipping the elevator to 'on' mode again.

Tobias had to say it. "If it had been me." He shoved his hands into his pockets and moved to stand besides Gibbs. "I would've filed the fake license anyway."

That made Gibbs pause, unsure how to feel about that thought. He looked towards the floor then shrugged slightly. No use crying over it now. The marriage license Hach and he signed was neatly tucked away in the file he sure was probably burned by now.

Tobias laughed that he finally saw an expression cross Gibbs' face for once.

**Chapter Fourteen**

Both Gibbs and Fornell stood in front of Director Vance's desk. Vance wore a dark blue suit today with a white collared shirt and green striped tie. He sat behind his desk getting the update from Gibbs on the course of The Reaper case. Now the L-12 were involved.

"You think this Ring Leader is now spearheading the L-12." Vance realized that the update produced a new number. "Or the L-6?" Neither agent flinched. "Where does The Reaper and Perfecto feud fit into this?"

Fornell answered. "Don't know at this time, Director." He knew Vance and Gibbs were more than boss and subordinate. "We've been tracking Perfecto for four years now. Slippery bastard always has a way out. There used to be four teams of three that operated globally. We haven't been able to established what went down that has the L-12 shuffling the employee list. But it began happening last year."

Vance looked to Gibbs who shrugged. "Looks like McDougal tried to cut and run."

Fornell agreed with that conclusion. "And was killed for it."

Gibbs was not so fast to make that conclusion since McDougal came prepared with the concert flyer to last night's meeting. "Too easy. McDougal knew he was marked for death." He glanced at Tobias then back to Vance. "Dr. Hature is deciphering a code he placed on a concert flyer he gave to her last night at the meeting."

Tobias faced Gibbs. "You didn't tell me there was a meeting involved."

Gibbs shrugged. "She's downloading the files still."

Tobias frowned, his trenchcoat hanging over his arm. "He encoded a piece of paper?"

Gibbs glanced over at Tobias. "Somehow…I don't understand it." Technology was a complete mystery to him and added for Tobias' sake. "Guinevere won't have it till later."

Fornell smirked sending a sideways glance in Gibbs direction. "Guinevere now?"

Gibbs continued as if he was not interrupted. "I'll have my team start checking into the names given to us by the FBI. Ziva's physically tracking the employees at Dansboro Technology to verify all employee identities. If McDougal was feeding money to the L-12, he had to do it through false employees."

"Sounds like a good plan." Vance considered the alternative and sighed. "Something's better than nothing." He looked to Fornell. "I take it the FBI wants to help?"

Fornell nodded. "Perfecto's gone underground. We think he's left he country."

Vance nodded.

Gibbs and Fornell left the director's office side by side. Vance watched until they disappeared through the door and it closed after them. He sighed knowing this case might be more than what Gibbs and his team could handle at the moment. They were still recovering from their last encounter with The Reaper. They came to work but he saw the reduction in production from the group. Still, it would be interesting to see if NCIS could track the L-12 where no other agency had before.

Revenge might still be on their minds with the new lead.

And that would create tension and problems in his house. He would pursue the full disciplinary action on any agent or staff who took the law into their own hands where The Reaper was concerned. SecNav wanted The Reaper alive, kicking, and talking. He was the son of Army Colonel Jasper Shepard after all. There were quite a few questions that required an answer.

**Chapter Fifteen**

Tim arrived in the Forensics lab to find Abby at her workstation. Hach was nowhere to be seen. In fact, she disappeared rather soon from when he saw her earlier. However, Tim reasoned that he was over analyzing things. She probably went for a nap. Even the geniuses needed sleep. On cue, Abby turned from the workstation to face McGee.

Abby smiled at Tim, not taking her eyes off him. "Yes?"

Tim was perplexed by Abby's sudden firm stare on him. It was a little creepy right now. Did she not get enough sleep? Tim's face did not hide his inner expression, his face contorted into the 'she's acting weird again' look.

"Uh." He glanced around before walking towards Abby. "Where's Hach?"

"Sleeping in the back." Abby turned back towards the workstation. "She needed a cat nap."

Tim nodded that he guessed as much and stopped beside Abby, looking at the screen, "Wow!" He was shocked at the program on the screen. "McDougal put all of that on the concert flyer?"

Abby smiled happily, her fingers flying across the keyboard. "I know, right?" She was overly amazed by the advancement in technology recently. "It's like he knew Hach would find it and put it where she could get it easily."

Tim glanced at Abby. "He wanted her to find it all right." Then it dawned on him. "But it might be a decoy."

Abby stopped alarmed and turned to Tim. "What?"

Tim turned to find the evidence table gone. "Was there anymore evidence from McDougal?"

Abby nodded and smiled as if she knew the secret. "I already found the flashdrive he sewed into the lining of his light jacket." She smiled wickedly. "Well…Hach found it when Palmer brought everything including McDougal's clothes." Her expression turned dour. "However, our mystery guy didn't have anything on him except the gun he used to kill McDougal. A .38 special." Abby grimaced. "He wasn't going for stealth that's for sure."

Tim realized it all made sense now. "The assassin knew Oscar McDougal wouldn't meet just anyone." He was amazed his brain worked this good. "He was already prepared to be injured or killed."

"Oooh, a kamikaze assassin!" Abby said softly. "Sounds like a new game, doesn't it?"

Tim paused then smiled at Abby. "Yeah, it does, doesn't it?" He turned towards her office. "I need to borrow your computer."

Abby said nothing and got back to work running additional scans for fingerprints of their mystery assassin. He seemingly had no name or identity of any kind. She went global just to be sure she missed nothing. For a few moments Abby worked in silence. Then she glanced over her shoulder at the office/secondary lab door knowing Tim McGee was sitting at her desk using her computer. Then she bit her lower lip and slowly got back to work again.

**Chapter Sixteen**

Gibbs returned to the Squad Room after his meeting with Vance and Fornell, descending the stairs instead of taking the elevators. His knee was feeling pretty good today. Tobias was willingly to help out in anyway so that they could catch Perfecto. Tobias' investigation was stalled at the moment and it appeared the assassin left he country. Then again, the FBI was known for being wrong part of the time.

Tony, setting his field bag down, noticed he was the only agent there when Gibbs arrived. He straightened and glanced around to see if his fellow agents were coming around the corner. No such luck. Which meant his line of inquiry hit a dead end. But not completely.

"Hey boss." Tony grimaced trying to come up with something. "Ah, I…"

Gibbs stopped at DiNozzo's desk to glare at his senior field agent. At that moment, Ziva returned from her trip to Dansboro Technology looking into ghost employees. She all but ran ff the elevator eager to tell what she found. Two agents at Dansboro would have attracted attention and much discussion from the employees.

"Gibbs." Ziva appeared excited. "I found seven ghost employees."

There would be no plasma right now.

She looked around to find neither within distance. "I emailed the names to Abby and Hach in hopes one of them would run them."

Then McGee entered the Squad Room from the direction of the laboratory. "And I got them!"

The plasma screen suddenly came alive.

Tim rearranged the names in the window by hire date. "We have Trevor Martin, Jackson Harp, Chelsea Dobbs, Martin Tudor, Quentin Jacobs, Lawrence Thompson, and Maggie Hanlin." He switched the view. "All seven work out of a small satellite office in Virginia." Tim smiled at Tony who avoided looking at him.

Just to break up the mood Tony replied. "He's a bit shaken from last night still but my dad's fine." Tony added. "Thanks, for asking."

Ziva continued as if Tony never spoke. "According to Human Resources, they were all hired the same week." She took out her notepad since she wrote down a lot of her ideas while she was there. "They hadn't met any of the new hires since Oscar McDougal signed off on the paperwork. They were a special projects office."

"Check the office location." Gibbs knew it was a crap-shoot but they had to check every lead out right now. "Tim, anyway to find out if these people traveled on company dime?"

Tim nodded rather mello. "There's always a way."

Gibbs knew what that meant. "Make it happen."

"I'm going to need our resident expert." Tim nodded towards the laboratory.

Gibbs nodded and Tim McGee left without another word.

**Chapter Seventeen**

The computer read 'done' on the screen. There were more than a thousand file folders listed on the black in green numbers in DOS mode to make sure the capture held. Hach blocked Abby's access to the keyboard as her hands did their magic across the keys.

Abby stood in front of the computer with her neck stretched to read the fine code. "That is crazy!" She turned to Hach standing below her. "If they can encode paper already, how come nobody else has capitalized on it?"

"Is it not obvious to you?" Hach sighed. "It gets wet far too easily."

Abby's face turned gloomy. "Yeah, you're right."

"However, the concept could be translated to flexible boards and polymers suitable for programming."

Abby could see it. "We can do it." She heard the ding of the elevator. "Gibbs!"

But it was McGee who entered the Forensics Lab through the glass enclosure. "We got a job, Hach."

Abby knew what that meant. "Ooooh, a Gibbs assignment."

Hach asked logically. "Does Agent Gibbs often assign you homework?"

Abby and Tim looked at one another and then replied together as they approached the workstation side-by-side to get to work on it. "ALL THE TIME."

Hach stepped back to watch the pair together and smiled.

**Chapter Eighteen**

Hours passed as their investigation made small strides. Gibbs looked up from his desk to find Hach standing next to his desk, watching him with the chilled eyes of a scientist. "Yeah?" He was confused. "What?"

Hach could only wonder why Abby revered Agent Gibbs so much. "Abby and Tim are completing the task you gave them."

Gibbs waited silently, keeping his eyes on her in hopes to make her uncomfortable. She did not flinch…yet. He folded his hands, resting his elbows on the desk and waited for Dr. Hature to continue.

"I have come to tell you that both victims in Autopsy match the DNA from the children from Operation Reaper." Hach noted the look of progress in his eyes. "Abby forgot to inform you earlier when the results were finalized. Agent McGee and Miss Sciuto are incorporating your recent request and the results of the DNA for a…'larger picture'…as Abby calls it."

"Why do you talk like that?" Gibbs stood up behind his desk.

"Like what?" Hach was confused this time.

"Like that." He pointed at her. "You say, 'is not' instead of isn't. 'Cannot' instead of can't." He frowned pointing out her speech patterns on purpose. "It's weird."

"Just because I refuse to use contractions in my work, Agent Gibbs…" She turned from him. "…that is hardly a reason for you to question my science." And continued walking away from him back towards the laboratory realizing there was a reason why she wanted to avoid another confrontation with Agent Gibbs.

"Guess she didn't like that assessment." He said softly. "She didn't do that when she first got here." Gibbs watched Hach disappear out of sight. "What changed?"

A woman with an ever-changing list of requirements to handle, he decided finally. Still, there was hope for Dr. Hature yet. He shook his head with mild amusement and decided it was coffee time. No time like the present to get some thinking time in while he went for a long walk.

**Chapter Nineteen**

Hach arrived in Autopsy to find Dr. Mallard pouring over his notes at his desk. The room was dimly lit since the autopsies on McDougal and the assassin were completed and all that remained were the final notes and observations to upload.

She changed direction and headed for the desk. "Dr. Mallard, I appear to be at an empasse with Agent Gibbs."

Ducky stood up at once. "Are you looking for approval from Jethro?"

"No, I am looking for professional respect." Hach pointed out the obvious. "I was under the impression that he was intimidated by my level of intelligence."

"I sincerely doubt Jethro would hold that against you." Ducky smirked. "He does prefer a difficult woman."

"I disagree. My conclusion formed following his performance during the Swastika case." Hach noted the frown on the doctor's face. "I concluded he would balk at the idea of a false wedding for the sake of catching a killer when he has been divorced three times. However, he laughed at me when we attempted to pretend to be a 'couple' during our practice session."

He smiled realizing she missed the source of Jethro's amusement then paused and asked placidly. "Are you asking for my insight, my dear?"

Hach considered his question for a moment. "I believe this is not my area of expertise, doctor." Hach wanted answers. "What have I done that offends Agent Gibbs so much? On one hand, I perform my duties with the up most attention to detail and precision. And then it appears he resents me for my effort. If I show no enthusiasm for the work, he merely tolerates me."

"You perceive this much from Jethro?"

"At this juncture?" Hach frowned. "I find I perceive little of him."

Ducky smirked wanting the answers to a few burning questions regarding the famed 'practice session' no one was privy to since learning of it recently. "As scientists we must move among those perceived as our inferiors." He sighed. "Many of whom perceive it themselves, not so much it is us who perceives this. Thus they project their own emotions and inadequacies onto us then they hate us for it."

Hach blinked at the comparison. "I can see how they would misinterpret my desire to perform my job perfectly."

He knew why Jethro did not care for Dr. Hature on a professional level. "Jethro doesn't believe in 'perfect'."

"Does this fall under Rule 16?" Hach inquired. "If Agent Gibbs perceives that I have some form of 'upper hand', will he try to break my perception of having said upper hand so said 'hand' is under his control?" She took a breath. "And since Agent Gibbs is the origin of the infamous rules, which I understood applied only to suspects, am I not allowed to reciprocate and 'try' in essence to 'break' him of his reclaiming the 'upper hand'?"

Ducky was almost speechless but minorly confused by her line of questioning. "I never heard it quite put that way before, my dear."

"It feels much like a game, doctor." Hach was disappointed so she changed the subject since the doctor seemed perplexed. "I prefer to avoid such games."

"So does Jethro." Ducky needed to be honest. "But in our line of work, the one who plays the game, gets the killer." He noted her eyes flicker wider as the idea had not occurred to her. "But I believe you're over analyzing things. Jethro doesn't know how to read you yet."

It was not the answer she was looking for, however it would do for the time being. "I do not strive for perfection in all areas of my life, doctor." She clearly did not understand Agent Gibbs nor was about to anytime soon. "Only in my work as a biotechnology engineer and as a forensic scientist. My designs must be flawless otherwise someone could be harmed if the program fails. If I allow a single variance in my methods in the laboratory, a killer could walk free in court."

He paused to choose his words carefully.

"And you do so admirably." Ducky was unsure how to present this to Hach. "Few take the time to think how scientists factor into the art of criminal capture. However, it can be…some what intimidating to the rest of your peers how you accomplish your job, Hach."

Hach realized Dr. Mallard was correct in his diagnosis. One of the many reasons she believed his insights would allow her to understand Miss Sciuto and the others since she was forced to work with the group at the Yard until her lab in Norfolk was rebuilt. How others appeared to her was nothing to how she appeared to them.

"Have I been perceived as…intimidating here?" Hach was curious if Agent DiNozzo was one of those who confided how he felt about her presence at the Yard.

Ducky nodded. "Only by a minor few." He lifted his chin. "I heard Abby regaled you with the unending pleasures of 'hopscotch'."

"Indeed." Hach found the game amusing at first but became bored with it quickly. "Abby appears to think I have missed more than my fair share of childhood antics. She expressed wishes to take me 'bowling'. I have never been fascinated with the idea of rolling a 10-pound acrylic ball down narrow wooden lanes in hopes of hitting ten fiberglass encased re-enforced pins."

"Trying to get you to go to bowling night, is she?" Ducky smirked how easily Abby accepted Hach into her life. "I understand the sisters would love to meet you."

He figured it would not end well since Hach tended to be rigidly scientifically minded. At more than one medical conference, he noticed she tended to keep her limited conversations to simple subjects in social settings. Many were fascinated with her level of knowledge. In fact, she was well sought after by many private companies. Why she never left NCIS surprised many among his peers.

Hach nodded. "She believes this is the case." Then she sighed. "Thus far I have managed to talk my way out of the 'girls night out'. I am trying to fit in here on a professional level, Dr. Mallard. However, I find any attempt to do so is met with disdain and suspicion by Agent Gibbs. Regardless of his emotions towards my 'perfection'."

"I wouldn't try to be so…technical around Jethro." He laid a hand at her elbow. "Keep things simple."

"Indeed I will try." She nodded then turned to leave Autopsy with less hope than she began with initially.

Agent Gibbs would be difficult to try to impress. Though why it bothered her that he refused to grant her such professional courtesies to this extent disturbed her. How far was she willing to go before she realized his opinion did not matter? Why did it matter this time? Things appeared to have changed since the Swastika Case. But how they changed she did not know.

**Chapter Twenty**

Tony and Ziva found themselves arriving at the abandoned building listed as the address of Dansboro Technology satellite office 10. The address was off the main road just outside of the unnamed small town and appeared hardly used in the last twenty years. Grass grew through the asphalt parking lot and the concrete was already deteriorating. The glass front was frosted over with years of dirt as Tony pulled up to the building. They got out of the car, slammed their doors and stared at the decrepit building.

"Like we didn't expect this?" Tony said annoyed they wasted the trip out.

"It's another lead crossed off the list." Ziva wanted inside the building so she walked up to the front door and found the door locked. "It looks like it was an office at one point." She glanced around the wooded area finding no one.

There were a few residences down the road but they passed no one on the way here. A shiny car like the Dodge Charger would certainly catch some local's attention in these rural parts. Still, it was difficult to judge whether Dansboro Technology or the L-12 used the building recently.

Tony noted the broken back window and the rear door appeared ajar. "Looks like we might have a way in after all."

After a quick drive around the back, Tony and Ziva entered the building through the door left ajar calling out 'NCIS' as they went inside. Better to cover all the points in case someone was hiding. The office was mostly open with two restrooms, one male and one female off to the right, and two offices with doors to the left. Tony went left, Ziva right. A few moments later, they returned to the center.

"Nothing in the restrooms." Ziva noted none of the paperwork she saw contained the Dansboro Technology logo. "Someone's been keeping them clean though."

Tony added. "The offices have mattresses, sheets look recently cleaned."

The voice said from behind. "That's how I like 'em too!"

Tony and Ziva turned to face a man in street clothes, short cut hair with a clean face watching them from the door. They noted he held a small pile of sticks they thought was firewood. But there was wood burning stove, not a fire pit ring, or other cooking contraption anywhere in the office space.

"Agents DiNozzo and David with…"

"Yeah, yeah, NCIS." He dropped the firewood just inside the door and walked inside closing the door behind him. "I heard you from the tree line. Russ Marlee. Resident of Number 10."

Ziva knew it was best to play it social. "May we ask how long you've been a resident?"

"Five years now." Russ rubbed his recently shaven face. "Lost my job over in Kentucky. Had a sister out this way so I came here looking for work. Found nothing. My sister didn't have room for me so I found this place just after the office people moved out."

"How many office people?" Tony decided that Russ Marlee might have more information than he was aware of.

"Tony." Ziva interjected. "The least we could do is buy Mr. Marlee some groceries for his troubles."

Russ's eyes widened at the prospect for being paid to talk about what he saw.

TO BE CONTINUED….


	42. Episode 14: Enemies Nest Part 3

**NCIS Season 9**

**Episode 9.14.3**

**Enemies Nest**

**By: Lady JenDragon**

**Disclaimer: **We know the drill, NCIS isn't mine except my own characters.

**Author's Notes: **Read.

**ENEMIES NEST**

* * *

**Chapter Twenty-One**

Vance sat with SecNav Jarvis in his office at the conference table contemplating the recent L-12 movements. The maps on the screen showed the most recent killings by Perfecto and The Reaper both in the U.S. and overseas. Leon knew Clayton Jarvis and Guinevere Hature were currently at odds with one another though the reasons were unknown for the time being.

Jarvis appeared satisfied by the update. "Dr. Hature is aware of the case files?"

"Of course." Vance knew there was history with Jarvis and Hature. "She's been instrumental in isolating the movements of the L-12. Miss Sciuto's consistent presence at NCIS now that Perfecto's gone underground has given us ample time to spend on finding the other members of the L-12."

"And how is Gibbs getting along with Hature?"

"They're making it work professionally at the moment." Vance knew Clay was looking for a way around Hach's expertise. "I can't say they're getting along."

"Good." Jarvis smiled weakly. "Keep me posted if she gets out of line."

"She's the least of my concerns." Vance watched Clay closely.

"I'll be the judge of that." Clay got to his feet suddenly. "The CIA reported one of their former agents going rogue."

Leon already had an idea who that might be though it had been some time since the name came up. "That's not good."

"That means he's now working for the other side." Clay did not like it. "According to our people in Qatar, Ray Cruz is now potentially working with the L-12. My sources keep finding his name and picture popping up all over Europe."

Vance knew how to respond to that. "We'll deal with it when he becomes a problem."

"We already have major problems with the L-12 and Ring Leader coming to light. If we can find their base of operations, we can pin point where to target our efforts. Ray Cruz may be our only lead at this point, Leon. Every agency's been affected by these bastards."

"And you want to get them first?" Vance asked already knowing the answer.

Clay nodded and smirked. "Damn right I do."

Vance nodded quickly. "We'll get it done."

**Chapter Twenty-Two**

The Squad Room was eerily a quiet place this evening. Tony stood with Ziva and Tim McGee waiting for the boss to return from his afternoon coffee run. Probably needed to get his head clear with everyone focusing on NCIS lately. FBI, CIA, Perfecto and The Reaper. They had a busy few weeks lately with being so popular.

"Where's your Dad now?" Tim looked directly at Tony.

Tony grimaced before he replied. "Hovering over the Little Doc."

Ziva laughed. "Better be careful or she'll be your next step-mother."

"I disagree." Tony shook his head, shoving his hands into his pockets feeling rather confident about his observations. "I don't think Dad understands the Little Doc's not interested in him. He's only got dollar signs in his eyes after all."

Tim was about to reply when he was interrupted by a fourth voice.

"The Reaper's been sighted in Maine." Fornell informed Gibbs from the elevator. "He took out a lawyer who was helping out a mob family in New York. He was former Army, special ops. Made to look like a suicide but he left a note this time. Reaper left his trademark letter on the wall in the victim's blood."

Tony glanced at Ziva and held her gaze. "At least he didn't blow the victim up."

Fornell replied. "That's only NCIS agents."

"At least we don't have Perfecto." Tony pointed out. "How many agents he up to now?"

Fornell lost his sarcasm. "That's above your ability to count, DiNotzo."

Tim McGee contorted his face to keep from laughing though he knew Agent Fornell took the number of agent's killed by Perfecto seriously.

"Three." Ziva replied honestly on behalf of Agent Fornell seeing the minor look of disgust from the memory of the loss on his expression. "They were junior agents, right?" Fornell nodded fighting to control his anger. "I guess he wasn't aiming for the senior agents yet. The Reaper hasn't killed anyone of us."

Fornell was pissed about losing the three junior agents even if they were killed because of stupidity. "Yet."

Not willing to risk further confrontation, Fornell chose to head for the conference room. If Gibbs was around, he could find him there. There was a phone call he had to make anyway.

**Chapter Twenty-Three**

Hach stood with Abby staring at the computer screen with Tim McGee standing behind them. On the screen was the old building where Dansboro Technology listed their 10th satellite office as being in rural Virginia in the middle somewhere outside of a town with no name since it was not on any map they found so far.

Tim was amazed Tony's dad was not in Forensics. "Where's Tony senior?"

"We sent him out for coffee." Abby replied evenly. "He was constantly under foot."

Hach added. "I overpaid Mr. DiNozzo to make the run since he required distraction." She paused to consider the alternative. "It was the most logical use of funds so we could complete the task at hand."

"He was getting way too personal." Abby huffed. "It was a great deal, Hach." Then added hastily. "Don't get me wrong. I love Tony's dad but he's been far too eager to learn in depth details about the lab. More so than normal."

Tim and Hach paused and exchanged a quick glance between them both understanding why Tony DiNozzo Senior was spending way too much time in the Forensics lab lately. Clearly Abby Sciuto was oblivious to his advances towards Dr. Hature to garner some interest. Tim decided it was time to change the subject.

Tim was disappointed. "So this is the L-12 hide out?"

Abby smiled as Hach brought up the photo of the homeless man Tony stood with smiling from the field camera. "According to the resident of Number 10, Dansboro vacated the space five years ago. There were no photos, papers, or evidence with the Dansboro logo left behind in the office. The people came and went at odd hours an no one ever visited the place."

"They totally cleared everything out." Tim knew how professionals worked. "I knew they wouldn't leave anything behind."

"Tony and Ziva brought in more than a hundred fingerprints to run just to see if we get lucky." Abby checked the AFIS search, so far finding no matches coming up. "The prints we're running now should narrow down the list of suspects and eliminate the local towns people. We only need one hit to make a link to the L-12 case."

They would have to expand their search to local and state agencies to eliminate all the locals before trying to match any unidentified fingerprints. Closing an office five years ago was a bit of a stretch to find a viable print left behind by someone who worked in the office. Still, Abby was willing to put in the time if it was another possible piece to the L-12 puzzle.

Tim huffed. "Gibbs would love to nail the L-12."

Abby smiled. "Don't I know it."

**Chapter Twenty-Four**

Gibbs arrived in the Squad Room to find no one lurking around the desks. His agents were running probabilities and possibly chasing a few leads down. It was then he noticed Abby coming towards him from the lab. She did not appear happy. More like flustered at something forensic not behaving.

He frowned slightly when she reached him in a fretful state. "Abs?"

"Gibbs." Abby stopped at his desk waiting for him to complete his short journey to reach her. "We have a problem."

"What now?" Was Tony DiNozzo Senior causing problems in the lab he wondered silently?

"I can't trace the weapon our shooter used on Oscar McDougal." She needed to escape the lab anyway. "Usually I can tell when the serial number's been scratched or etched off. But the metal's smooth and uncontaminated."

Gibbs frowned. "A hand made gun?"

Abby nodded. "The L-12 used them early on before their name became well known."

"Why are you telling me this here and not in the lab?"

"Tony Senior's trying to get Hach to take him to dinner." Abby appeared almost guilty. "She's been professionally polite but she's not budging on the dinner thing. Which only makes Tony Senior worked harder at the effort." Abby lowered her head. "It's a little sad to watch it actually."

Gibbs nodded without committing to an actual opinion. The ding of the elevator suddenly made him alert. Gibbs turned towards the elevator doors opening in time to see Trent Kort in a gray suit exit the elevator. His trenchcoat hung over his right arm and he stood remarkably aloof. Then Trent Kort looked directly at him.

Abby knew who the man was but was amazed to see him still alive at NCIS.

**Chapter Twenty-Five**

In the privacy of the Conference Room, Gibbs stood across from Trent Kort at the end of the conference room table near the door. They appeared more like adversaries having a moment of truce than two agents of the same government but varied agencies. The door to the hall was closed to give them some privacy.

"What do you want now, Kort?" Gibbs was not happy to see him.

"It's simple, Agent Gibbs." Trent made no move towards taking a seat, his visit was not meant to be long at NCIS. "A trade."

Suddenly he wanted another coffee. "For what?"

"I've been holding out on you." Trent stretched his neck by tilting his head from side to side.

"Nothing new." Gibbs refrained from smirking openly though it did touch the corners of his mouth. "Get to the point."

"Dr. Guinevere Hature has something the L-12 wants." Trent added for measure. "And the Ring Leader knows she can get it for him."

"And that is?"

"Her MPS-OS7 program." Kort looked at Gibbs with his head slightly cocked. "Some call it just the OS7. However. It's more than just a mainstream diagnostics tool."

Gibbs understood the needs of the military and what lengths the upper brass would go to keep ahead in the game of warfare. "Military?"

"Above top secret."

Gibbs knew all too well what that meant. "And you want it too."

Kort shrugged. "If I can set up an auction to sell it off on the black market…lure out Ring Leader. We capture him, get the L-12, everyone wins."

Gibbs finished the thought for Kort this time. "CIA gets Ring Leader and the L-12, you keep the money."

Kort said nothing but moved on to the next topic of discussion, the reason for his visit. "Dr. Guinevere Hature has become a civilian target in the last month for the L-12. According to my sources, the MPS-OS7 program is damn near impregnable. There are only four people in the world with access to it, Agent Gibbs. Two of them, Frank Mercantile and Jeff Tams, are already dead. Both died in highly suspect accidents. The third one, Charlie Whitney, is still missing and presumed dead for the time being."

"Who has the OS7 now?"

"Ask Dr. Hature." Kort smirked knowing Gibbs hated people who kept secrets. "No one knows where it is except her."

Gibbs did not like the fact that once again, Dr. Hature seemed to have her hands in another piece of the military pie. And it was getting in his way. Did it bother him she was so well connected or that she was more dangerous just being a genius engineer? Another thing, did she know about her new status as a L-12 target?

**Chapter Twenty-Six**

The vending room was empty. Tony stood staring at the candy bar stuck between the metal and window again. He was disappointed in how the investigation into the death of Oscar McDougal was progressing. Thus far, nothing on the L-12 came to light and Abby was not getting any results from the fingerprints from the former Dansboro Technology satellite office. Ziva walked through finding Tony alone and paused.

"Maybe we're thinking about this all wrong." He concluded without moving from his position in front of the vending machine.

"Thinking about what all wrong?" Ziva asked walking up to him from behind.

"The L-12." Tony just realized a number of things. "The Reaper hasn't killed us yet. Why?" He did not wait for Ziva to answer. "The answer is: he didn't want to." His mind was running a mile a minute now. "He wants more than our attention."

"For what exactly?" Ziva wanted to know.

"Someone has to be running the L-12." Tony reasoned out loud. "They don't make a move without orders. They've been trained since they were children to take orders."

"The Reaper's trying to lead us to whoever is controlling the L-12?" Ziva offered. "We don't know who that is just yet since we haven't found anything definitive in anything they've left behind for us to find."

Tony lifted his index finger to the ceiling. "But they're pointing us in the direction we need to go though."

"How do you figure that?"

"First we find Colonel Shepard's remains in Rock Creek Park three months after his actual death and more than fifteen years after his supposed suicide. The Reaper, who happens to be one of the Shepard's, crops up on our radar and suddenly we uncover Operation Reaper. The same project that gave the bastard his name. And the Little Doc knows all about him since the Caseman investigation twelve years ago. Then the Little Doc's sister gets strung up to look like a suicide." Tony wondered how much Gibbs and Hach already pieced together without them. "Up pops Perfecto on the NCIS radar despite Abby helping the FBI for months on the same exact case."

Ziva understood this much. "They've been playing us from day one, Tony." But she knew where he was going. "Fornelll's been chasing Perfecto for over two years. We've been after The Reaper for more than twelve years."

He was suspicious. "And suddenly the Feds need Abby's help tracking Perfecto down? No, the Feds know something." That irritated Tony when the other agencies did not share. "And they ain't sharing."

"She is the best." Ziva pointed out.

"Second best." Tony folded his arms. "Little Doc's got the title though Gibbs would disagree."

"You're forgetting the recent transfer of Dr. Hature, Tony." Ziva knew to incorporate all avenues of investigation until the evidence disproved the line.

Tony contemplated Dr. Hature's part in this play they were all role-playing. "Could be arbitrary. Her transfer appears legit from a NCIS point of view." He shrugged. "I know, I looked it up."

"She can hack into the Pentagon, Tony." Ziva reminded Tony. "In like fifteen seconds with that flashdrive code she has." She paused. "She could easily mask her true reasons for transferring from Pearl Harbor to the Yard."

Tony appeared resolute. "Director Shepard mentioned the Little Doc might be working with our team maybe just once before she died." The memory of the previous director haunted Ziva and him both since she died on their watch. "Since the transfer never happened, I forgot about it." Tony took a deep breath. "Until now."

That got Ziva wondering. "You think Gibbs is right about Hature being a threat?"

Tony turned towards the Squad Room. "There's only one thing I'm sure of right now, Ziva. The Reaper and Perfecto aren't the only ones playing NCIS." He walk turned into a stride. "They're targeting us because the other agencies can't keep up with the clues the L-12 are leaving behind." He began walking away then paused. "Come, Gretal! It's time we started picking up the crumbs!"

Ziva hurried after Tony.

**Chapter Twenty-Seven**

Gibbs found Hach walking down the hallway towards the Forensics lab. Her face was focused on the hand held device she was replying on at the moment. Her fingers crossed the keypad with ease and fluidity. He quickened his pace and caught up to her, catching her off guard. Finding the elevator in use, he opened the nearest door, knowing what was behind it. He grabbed her wrist and yanked Hach through the door with him.

Hach blinked to find herself standing in the janitor's closet with Agent Gibbs. "Now what have I done?"

Gibbs clicked on the light and looked at her face as he spoke softly. "MPS-OS7."

"I cannot tell you where it is." Hach noted the narrowing of his eyes. "It is out of my hands already, Agent Gibbs."

Gibbs studied her face in the dim light from above. "Military has it then."

Hach knew Agent Gibbs could connect the dots with lines. "Yes."

Gibbs hated that Dr. Hature was always involved in the higher, secretive operations. "The L-12 and Ring Leader want it."

She merely shrugged at the revelation. "They would not be able to use it anyway."

"Why?"

"The program is designed to not only detect fingerprint scans, which can be easily reproduced, but the unit is DNA coded specifically to its operator. This is to keep the limited number of authorized users to a minimum and to keep imposters from killing our operators and showing up in their place."

"That's why they want the MPS-OS7." Gibbs realized the simplicity of the plan. "They'd reprogram the device."

"I am not saying that is not possible if someone understands high tech programming."

"Charles Whitney is missing."

"Then they have the means by which to reprogram the device." Hach knew the dangers of the project. But she never really thought there could be dangers associated with it until now. "I know both Frank and Jeff recently died from the project."

"Rather suspiciously."

"I am trying to be professional here, Agent Gibbs." Hach breathed. "I could be expelled from the project just for telling you any of this."

Gibbs lowered his face to Hach as she backed away nearly tripping on the mop, he caught her before she fell over. "Why are you involved with the project?"

"I am an biotechnical engineer." Hach replied honestly. "Why would I not be involved in such a project?"

"Did it ever occur to you that maybe someone will die because of what you created?"

Hach narrowed her eyes. "I have put considerable amount of thought into the behavior of the weapons used by the U.S. military. My programs are designed to make the most impact while killing the least number of people. The beauty of the program is that you can specify the target and the blast radius. The missiles will no longer go boom if we miss the target."

"It's killing people."

Hach countered. "And your time as a sniper is justified to allow you to judge me now, Agent Gibbs?"

Her challenge made Gibbs take a step back, realizing there was little difference between them in that regard. Hach considered him for a moment then turned to leave. It was time she removed herself from the tiny confines of the janitor closet.

**Chapter Twenty-Eight**

The Forensics Lab suddenly became the hottest place in NCIS in the early evening. Tim and Abby were working side-by-side after listening to Tony's theory about the L-12. Ziva agreed there was the possibility. However, the loophole was that none of the other agencies were willing to talk to one another in an open forum.

Palmer sat with an expression of confusion near the glass enclosure since the agents were pacing back and forth. "So The Reaper and Perfecto are trying to get NCIS to do something?"

"They've been leaving bread crumbs for years, autopsy gremlin." Tony stood with his arms folded waiting for Tim and Abby to finish. "The Little Doc was the first to pick up on The Reaper twelve years ago and has been following him since. But she didn't know about his eleven brothers and sisters running around. And our sister agencies haven't been smart enough to pick up on them until the Little Doc stumbled upon Perfecto."

Tim glanced over his shoulder at Tony. "So, the L-12 are killing off the unwanted members of the team in a hostile take over?"

Tony shrugged. "First thing I'd do." The recent weeks gave him plenty of time to put things into perspective. "If Ring Leader's trying to take over from whoever is controlling the L-12 now, he's going to want to remove anyone who'll resist the new regime."

"We don't know who has control over the L-12 now." Abby pointed out. "I know the FBI and the CIA are knocking down any lead they come across."

Tim rolled his eyes. "You really need to lay off those hacker sites, Abby." He sighed. "The Feds scour them looking for rats."

"And so do I." Abby said with a smile. "There's mountains of data on those sites guys."

"It's going to take a while to get through it all." McGee whined with the subtle hint of the 'get me coffee now' under tone.

Ziva and Tony looked to one another then both turned to face Jimmy. The young assistant straightened his back at the expressions on the agent's faces.

"Fine." He got up and headed for the hallway. "I'll go get some coffee."

Tony and Ziva smiled then went back to supervising the data analysis.

"Where's your father, Tony?" Ziva suddenly realized the senior DiNozzo was oddly missing since coming to the Yard.

Typically the elder DiNozzo liked to hang around the NCIS Naval Yard when he was affiliated with a case. Made him feel important that his son belonged to such an important government outfit. Since they cleared his name last year of a murder charge, his father was less demanding on the visits and encouraged hanging out with his 'co-workers', especially the female ones. Ziva smirked at the constant heckling from Tony's father.

Tony replied folding his arms. "Strangely, Dr. Hature is away this evening on a business meeting. My father opted to join her for the dinner affair." He paused considering how he felt. "Almost insisting on the role of 'date'.

"I bet that's going well." Ziva knew how Dr. Hature hated being sought after for her status.

A giggle erupted in the lab.

**Chapter Twenty-Nine**

Gibbs pulled along the curb of the sleek black and glass building. He watched Trent Kort exit the black SUV from the back seat by a valet and was ushered into the lobby of the large technology firm. The letters 'V', 'K', and 'T' were visible from his position. Kort was here for a reason and Gibbs was more than happy to follow Trent Kort long enough to determine what he was doing in DC.

He pulled his phone out and found the number of a person. Pressing the speed dial button, he raised the phone to his ear. He patiently waited for technology to do its job which was slow by his standard.

His head shifted to watch the front of the building. "McGee."

The 'Yes boss' was clearly heard on the other end.

"Run a check on 231 Batten Road, NW." Gibbs waited as McGee was instantly satisfying his boss' request on the other end. Even on a cellphone, he could hear the keyboard clatter when his agent typed.

"It's the site of a business meeting for partners." McGee replied shortly there after. "You know, I think Hach and Tony's dad are attending tonight."

Gibbs rolled his eyes. "Great."

"They work with a consortium of companies for overseas projects, mainly in third world countries." Tim could be heard smiling on the other end. "Hach mentioned they've created numerous clean drinking wells. Over a hundred this last year alone in South Africa and Kenya. Apparently this is their annual celebration to announce the success of the drinking wells and to plan for the coming year."

"Is Dr. Hature here?" Gibbs knew he would never know unless he got out and went in.

McGee's voice sounded surprised but replied. "She should have arrived more than an hour ago."

"Good." A plan formed in his head.

One Dr. Hature was not going to like once he got into the party. But he could live with himself and the fall out in the aftermath. He closed the phone on McGee and got out of the car. Time to go to work.

**Chapter Thirty**

The evening was not a complete waste. Her usual pantsuit appeared to be less than formal for this occasion even though she changed into a silver-like collared shirt. Hach felt severely under dressed. The invitation made no mention of formal attire.

However that did not appear to stop her escort from being seen with her. Hach was less than ecstatic about being escorted by a man with little interest in her mind. Still, DiNozzo Senior was a gracious and charming arm-dangle. He seemed to have a knack to socialize with key members of the business community and her acquaintances appeared happy to accept him. His people skills were above stellar in that regard. Still, what did he hope to gain from accompanying her to another boring party? She turned as Agent Gibbs strode through the double doors as if he was invited to the 'saloon' for a drink.

She felt her eyes widen, instantly migrating towards Agent Gibbs and began making his way towards her. He spotted her location and changed his direction to intercept her. No one else mingling among the hundreds of guests noticed the pair.

Hach reached Gibbs and whispered. "What are you doing here?"

"Crashing." Gibbs glanced around for any sign of Trent Kort. "Where's Mr. DiNozzo?"

"Fetching refreshments." Hach felt grateful for the separation. "You are looking for someone?"

Gibbs continued to survey the room looking for Kort. "Bald man, eye patch, gray suit, white shirt."

Hach knew the person by description. "He is with James and Cagney Whitlock from the Foundation." She felt grateful for the interruption actually. "I will show you where they are. Come this way."

Gibbs followed behind Hach who wore a lack-luster terracotta business suit with white silvery shirt and low heels. He noted she was wearing the low-heels more often recently. A few glances on either side of him as he walked, Gibbs noted that his presence was beginning to rouse curiosity among the attendees.

They arrived to find Trent Kort talking quietly with Tony DiNozzo Senior holding two champagne glasses. The Whitlock's, formally dressed in tuxedo and dark blue dress that hung to the floor, were in quiet discussion and appeared enthralled by the conversation.

"Who is he?" Hach wondered a number of things and asked in a whisper. "The bald man with the eye patch?"

Gibbs felt his spine straighten, a deep breath sucked in and his eyes shifted focus. Behind the group stood a tall man with red-brown hair tied neatly in a ponytail at the base of his neck. The waiter outfit did not hide his size or that he was out of place at the party.

Gibbs felt his hand immediately go for his SIG as he whispered the name. "Reaper."

Before The Reaper could serve the champagne, he sensed the change in the atmosphere of the room. He looked up in time to find Agent Gibbs running directly at him. He smiled then dropped his tray all over Tony DiNozzo Senior and Trent Kort then bolted through the employee doors leading towards the office area where the catering trays were set up for the evening.

The Reaper bolted through the office area almost as if he knew where everything was located. He swung right around the corner, just missing a woman carrying a bottle of champagne. Gibbs nearly knocked her over and clipped her arm. He felt himself close to catching the bastard.

**Chapter Thirty-One**

Gibbs ran out of the front of the building, dodging people and narrowly avoided knocking over an elderly man in a wheelchair. He skidded to a halt at the curb, finding The Reaper was already disappeared. Somewhere between the exit door and the front doors, The Reaper gave himself enough time to find a hiding place out of sight.

"Damn." Gibbs was not used to running this much at his age.

A few seconds later, Hach and Tony DiNozzo Senior appeared in the lobby and exited through the front doors to join Agent Gibbs. Neither was winded, suggesting they took the elevators to the first floor after Gibbs gave chase after the suspect.

Hach inquired already realizing the answer. "Did you get him?"

Gibbs only winced at the failure.

Tony DiNozzo Senior nodded towards the elder agent. "Agent Gibbs. You made a hell'va entrance. You'll be talked about for a few days, I think."

The least of his concerns, Gibbs decided.

"That was The Reaper?" Hach inquired.

Gibbs only nodded.

Tony Senior turned to Hach and asked kindly. "Should we return to the party, Guinevere?"

"I think not." Hach wanted to go home but realized she was hungry for something more than an appetizer. "Perhaps dinner after all, Mr. DiNozzo?"

That was music to Senior's ears taking her hand gingerly into his. "I know a great restaurant."

Hach looked over to Agent Gibbs. "Would you like to join us?"

Gibbs suddenly smiled. "No." Shaking his head. "I wouldn't want to intrude on your evening."

Hach only stiffened at the innuendo. She smiled quickly then turned and left with DiNozzo Senior apparently not happy about spending an evening alone with him. Gibbs knew how to read people and she suspected him of doing this on purpose. Still, she handled these situations before and she would handle them again.

**Chapter Thirty-Two**

His escape from the VKT party was narrow had Gibbs not followed him and found The Reaper about to assassinate him. He took a deep breath and sighed at his luck. The L-12 was hunting him fervently now. They were getting closer and closer, their attempts bolder in the last month. It was difficult to stay one step ahead of them lately.

Trent Kort sat in the dim light of the restaurant enjoying a glass of cold water and the small plate with bread partially eaten in front of him. The lack of a menu indicated he already ordered, waiting for his meal to arrive. His position was of solitude and anonymity.

At that moment, his phone began a soft ringing. Kort pulled out his cellphone and noted that the call was coming from…Ray Cruz. He smirked at the idea of Ray calling him at this time. He pressed the button and accepted the call.

Ray's voice sounded almost condescending. "So how is the hunt for the L-12 going, Trent?"

Not one to take things personally he replied. "Oh, the usual." He paused. "What's it like to be disgraced?"

Ray paused then there was a light laugh. "Not as much fun as lying to their face."

Trent knew there was a motive here. "What do you want, Cruz?"

"Just wondering how you're enjoying your meal." Ray paused. "Wait." Another pause. "You haven't gotten it yet."

Trent Kort felt his eyes widen slightly just before the glass in the front of the restaurant exploded amidst semi-auto rounds. He threw himself to the floor and began an eager crawl towards the back of the restaurant. The other customers screamed as they got to their feet and turned into a chaotic mass of legs and arms fighting to get to the nearest opening away from the source which was towards the back of the building. A man in tuxedo was hit in the shoulder. A woman in a green dress was grazed by one bullet and her arm pierced by another. She fell to the floor whimpering. Trent continued his exodus towards the rear of the restaurant.

Seconds passed and a shadow approached the ragged, broken window front of the restaurant looking into the chaos as people began to eventually push their way out the back. Three people were unconscious on the floor: two waiters and a bus boy. The man in the tuxedo lay on his side waiting while the woman in the green dress crawled towards the kitchen, blood oozing from her wounds.

William Shepard stood in the shadows hiding his face from the people now turning to face the shooter with terrified faces.

"Damn." He cursed.

His phone rang and he answered it quickly without any word of greeting.

The voice on the other end wanted to know. "You get Kort yet?"

"No." The Reaper replied annoyed. "He got a warning."

The voice replied. "The Pentagon won't be happy."

The Reaper closed his phone and drifted away from the restaurant in the shadows. People began to mill around the sidewalks spectating and taking still photos with their phones. Others were taking video of the scene, focusing on him. He smiled and lifted the gun for the video. Some people screamed and backed away. Just what he wanted.

Publicity.

THE END

_Next Time on NCIS…_

_CGIS Agent Abby Borin comes to seek help from Dr. Hature and Dr. Mallard on three civilian deaths on a sailboat in the harbor. Not until Lt. Quinlan arrives from the Pentagon does Gibbs and his team suspect there is more to this friendship with Quinlan. _


	43. Episode 15: Friend or Foe Part 1

**NCIS Season 9**

**Episode 9.15.1**

**Friend or Foe**

**By: Lady JenDragon**

**Disclaimer: **We know the drill. But I must declare my own characters as mine however!

**Author's Notes: **Wow it's been a while. But this one had to be done…right. I wish I had more time to write these days! Hopefully, I've delivered the story that's in my head. Let me know.

* * *

**FRIEND OR FOE**

**PART ONE**

**Chapter One**

Abby Sciuto accompanied Ducky Mallard to the opera since she knew he was feeling lonely these last few weeks. It was difficult these days to trust people outside of work with your personal emotions. She wore a black dress that hung to the ankles but showed off her tattoos. She wore a black chemise scarf to hide some of the tattoos but Ducky did not appear offended by how she dressed for a night at the opera.

Ducky was overly pleased this evening. "So how did you like La Cenerentola by Rossini, my dear?"

"Surprisingly, I really enjoyed it." Abby responded truthfully. "I didn't know someone wrote music to Cinderella. I always thought The Mouse Guy was the only one who wrote music to pibbity-poppity-boop."

Ducky genuinely laughed dismissing the misquotation then Abby giggled.

She added. "No one would ever believe me if I told them I went to one opera!"

Ducky gently patted Abby Sciuto's hand. "Nothing like a night of pleasant music in the company of a good friend to remind one how lucky they are."

"My neighbor two floors above me, Rachel Carntes, she absolutely loves Rossini." Abby wanted to get Ducky talking about himself again. "She keeps playing Barber of Seville every Friday night just to irritate Marco Ramos, my neighbor on the floor above me. He always blares his Latin music every weekend so Rachel tries to give him a taste of something classy." Abby paused. "Course, his radio just broke so it's been silent lately on the weekends."

Ducky smirked at the idea of living in such cramped conditions again. They walked towards the parking garage where his Morgan was parked. Many of the other attendees were sitting in long lines to get out so they opted to hang back for a few extra minutes to let the crowd clear out. The walk back was pleasant despite the chill of the cold night in January.

"We should make it to Chandler's by eight I believe."

Abby nodded. "It was nice of Hach to make reservations, wasn't it?"

They took the elevator to the sixth floor where his Morgan was parked all by itself. The crowds long gone now, they were happy in their moderate pace to reach the comfort of the heated car. Once it was started and the heat generated.

"I don't think she intended to miss La Cenerentola." Ducky hoped for more insight into the mind of Dr. Hature. "She's been rather quiet these past few weeks."

Ducky unlocked the passenger side, opening the car door for Abby. She smiled sweetly and was about to get in when they heard the rush of air. Something lodged in Abby's throat and she began to slowly get dizzy then her legs buckled. Ducky was shocked to see the small dart and knew immediately what it was.

Another rush of air, only this time, it lodged in his neck. He vaguely remembered anything logical as he felt himself falling towards the concrete. But someone in black was there to catch him and gently guided him towards a van that was waiting nearby. The van was white. He could tell that even with his blurred vision. Ducky heard the words spoken.

"Can't have you dying on me before your use is fulfilled." In a gentle, masculine resonate voice.

Ducky meant to ask what the voice meant but he slipped into a warm blackness of sleep.

**Chapter Two**

The morning appeared like any other January morning. Cold and bright following the snow storm that breezed through the DC area late night. It brought ice and new snow cover that made traffic a snarling mess this morning and forced people to whine about the temperatures.

The team began their morning arrivals at the Naval Yard NCIS Headquarters.

Tim McGee arrived first out of the team, pulling out his chair from behind his desk with solemn defeat. The recent weeks of chasing The Reaper took their toll on him trying to decipher every clue left behind by William Shepard. Now that the trail went cold, there was little the Major Case Squad could to do at the moment so he was forced to contemplate a new avenue of pursuit. Gibbs wanted them to continue looking at every angle.

"Every avenue…" Tim quoted to himself as he sat down at his desk to get started.

Then ten minutes later, Tony DiNozzo and Ziva David seemingly appeared out of nowhere from the direction of the stairs to appear to be the first among the pair to arrive. And they were trying to outrun one another. Tim smiled at the high school antics the two displayed even after all these years. He knew the attraction between them was coming to a peak…soon.

"Morning, McEarly." Tony said dropping his bag behind his desk hap-hazardly. "Don't you ever sleep in, Timmy?"

Tim smiled again and shook his head. "Not with The Reaper on the loose. Gibbs isn't letting up on finding him anytime soon."

Ziva was already in her chair behind the desk and tapping away at her computer. "He does have The Reaper in his scope."

That made Tony pause. "Sights, Ziva." He glared at Ziva. "Gibbs has him in his 'sights'."

"No." Gibbs came through the Squad Room at the moment coffee in hand. "Scope's more accurate, DiNozzo."

Tony immediately stood up reaching for his field bag while looking to Gibbs rounding his desk. The supervising agent set his coffee down and pulled out his chair.

Tony asked. "No case, boss?"

Gibbs never looked at Tony. "Not this morning."

Ziva, Tony and Tim looked between them. They all knew what that meant. Another day at NCIS sifting through old files, filing away closed cases, catching up on reports, and maybe if there was time, look into a 'cold' case file.

It was the most boring time of the year at NCIS. That oh-so wonderful part of the year where few murders or accidental deaths, if any, occurred in or around DC. Some people would see that as a bright spot but the team dreaded the slow times between cases. Especially now that The Reaper and Lucky 12 were on the back burner. Only if there were clues that were discovered could they reopen the investigation. Until then, it was business as usual. And that time of the year when few sailors were in port since most of the ships were deployed presently overseas meant a lot of down time from their biggest case ever.

Tony, Ziva and Tim detested this time of the year the most.

**Chapter Three**

More than an hour later, Jimmy Palmer arrived in the Squad Room behaving out of character. His walk was one of someone with 'urgent business' but clearly he remained intimidated by Agent Gibbs sitting at his desk focused on the report in his hands. Event he years spent among the team, Jimmy still behaved as though he was not only in awe of Gibbs but afraid of the supervising agent of the Major Case Response Team.

Ziva noticed Jimmy first then got Tony's attention across the way. She nodded towards the Autopsy Gremlin and frowned. Things appeared normal and both Ziva and Tony assumed Jimmy's issue was non-work related and very personal. But why approach Gibbs?

The remainder of the team was working silently at their desks since they arrived in the Squad Room since no new case had come through yet. Ziva glanced towards Jimmy again and Tony turned his head towards the young medical examiner's assistant for a longer look. Something was certainly up. At that moment, Tim looked up to find Tony looking past him. Glancing over his shoulder, he noted Jimmy rubbing his hands together nervously, his eyes set on Agent Gibbs trying to muster up the courage to talk to him.

At that moment, Jimmy took a deep breath and walked up to Gibbs' desk.

"Uh, Agent Gibbs?" Jimmy stood almost at attention. "I…"

Gibbs looked up at him and asked in a soft voice. "What is it, Jimmy?"

Jimmy hesitated. "I…it's Dr. Mallard, Agent Gibbs." He was about to stutter but stopped himself. "I can't get a hold of him." He pushed up his glasses. "He's more than an hour late."

The absence of the NCIS Chief Medical Examiner was hardly worth the concern.

Gibbs knew Ducky attended the opera last night. "You think there's a problem?"

Jimmy nodded. "Yes." He glanced over at Ziva then back to Gibbs. "I drove past his house this morning on my way here. I didn't see his car there."

Noting the deep concern on Jimmy's face, Gibbs relented.

He nodded. "We'll look into it."

Jimmy added. "Abby's not here yet either."

That made Gibbs pause then he spoke his thoughts out loud. "She attended the opera with Ducky last night." He paused. "Last minute."

The memory struck him as odd the previous afternoon. Ducky was beside himself when Dr. Hature was unable to attend the opera with him. By the end of the day, Abby Sciuto, Abs, was then attending an opera with Ducky. Even Ducky was amazed at the turn of events within hours of his intention to attend solo. How Hach got Abby Sciuto to agree to attend an opera in her place was a mystery at this point. However, the fact that both Abby and Ducky were both late this morning was unusual. Perhaps there was a plausible explanation.

Jimmy agreed. "Very unlike Abby to volunteer to go to an opera."

Gibbs smirked. "I doubt it was voluntary."

Tony, Ziva, Tim, and Jimmy all looked at Gibbs quizzically.

**Chapter Four**

Ducky opened his eyes to find the dark color of the browning ceiling not to his liking. The board to which he was attached was hard and uncomfortable. They were brought here for a reason. Who the hell kidnapped them?

He lifted his head to find himself tied at the ankles and wrists. He glanced to his right to find the wall of the room. There were rivets in the walls indicating it was a metal of some sorts in the dim emergency lighting. To his left was Abigail Sciuto attached to the tilted table in much the same position as himself.

"Oh dear." He tested his hands and feet again. "Very tight."

Abby attempted to shift in uncomfortable slumber. Even in the dim light, he could see her head move side to side then stop. He could tell she was just about to wake. He heard the 'sigh' as she woke from the drug-induced sleepr.

Ducky whispered. "Good, you're awake, Abigail."

"I am now." Abby tried moving her hands and ankles finding them tight. "Where the hell are we?"

"No idea." Ducky knew they were stuck. "I think it's safe to assume that we're not going anywhere anytime soon."

She took her time taking in her surroundings.

Abby blinked upwards at the darkened walkway above them. "Submarine." She paused to think. "Or a ship." She paused yet again. "We could be at the Yard."

"Any one of those locations is likely possible." Ducky knew better than to get his hopes up. "Are you tied down too?"

Abby tried her restraints checking to find where they were anchored. "Yeah." She frowned. "He anchored my wrists and ankles to the board I'm laying on." That was frustrating.

"I doubt he cares much about our comfort."

"I'll say." Abby had to admit defeat at the moment. "You remember anything from last night?"

Ducky lay motionless. "I remember the elevator taking us up to the car." He paused. "I remember heading for the passenger side."

"Me too." Abby sighed. "Not much after that." Her mind was churning. "He took us out long range."

Ducky offered. "Tranquilizer dart?"

Abby agreed. "He didn't want to risk one of us seeing him. That would be against his policy of execution. Taking down his target with tranquilizers then demand a hefty ransom later. Kidnappings were his MO before he got into the whole assassination thing."

They heard a click then bright red digital numbers were projected onto the ceiling of their prison. It started at twelve dot zero, zero and began a slow countdown in hours, minutes and seconds. Both Ducky and Abby understood the meaning.

Ducky's eyes widened. "That's not good." He struggled to speak. "The Reaper is using us for something."

"It's not The Reaper, Ducky." Abby shrunk down against the table and began a slow, cry-like whine. "This is Perfecto's doing."

Ducky looked over at Abby mumbling incoherently to herself at a tone too low for him to make out. He estimated Abby was about three, maybe four feet to his left. Hardly a large enough space for one person on a table, let alone two of them. He spotted the wires hanging beneath Abby's table and surmised they led somewhere. Were the tables rigged for movement? If both of them woke up, the timer started? He had many questions but those would have to come later. The biggest question on his mind…

Why did Perfecto take two members of NCIS?

Ducky knew the FBI were currently anxiously pursuing Perfecto and the Lucky 12. Vance nor Gibbs were not interested in Perfecto or his targets since civilians were not under the jurisdiction of NCIS. Unless Perfecto was after something specific. Or someone's attention, Ducky surmised. Did he want NCIS to join in on the hunt for Perfecto and the Lucky 12 with the FBI?

Ducky felt sure Leroy Jethro Gibbs would stop at nothing to make sure nothing happened to either of them. If Perfecto wanted to take on Jethro...

"Game on, indeed." He paused. "As they say." Ducky's voice trailed off.

Abby continued to try to decipher her surroundings.

**Chapter Five**

Gibbs stood motionless behind his desk for a moment. There was no indication that something foul transpired to prevent Donald Mallard from arriving to the Naval Yard this morning. Unless there was concrete proof, he had to behave as though his friend was only 'unaccounted' for. That did not prevent him from sending Ziva and Tony to Ducky's home to verify that his car was not located there as testified by Jimmy Palmer.

"Boss!" Tim McGee returned from the lab. "Abby still hasn't come in either. Tony and Ziva were going to swing by her place once they finished with Ducky's residence."

Gibbs nodded then took a long drink from his coffee. The 'ding' of the elevator signaled the return of his agents from their hasty morning task. But since they arrived without Ducky in tow, he guessed the contents of their report.

Yet he asked over the wall of the Squad Room. "Anything?"

"Nothing." Ziva was solemn.

Tony added grimly. "Ducky didn't return home last night." He looked to Ziva.

Ziva hesitated before continuing. "We found Abby's vehicle parked outside the house. They must've have gone somewhere after the opera together."

Tony cut in. "We still did a swing by Abby's place. Ran into one of her neighbors. He was an odd sort of guy. Pink hair at eighty?" Tony noted Gibbs' cool gaze and refocused. "Sorry, boss. The neighbors never saw her return home last night either."

"I have a possible place to start." Hach arrived in the Squad Room finding all eyes turning to her. "I was to go to the opera with Dr. Mallard and afterwards to Chandler's. I asked Abby to take my place last minute."

Tony, Ziva and Tim found themselves suddenly silent.

Ziva's eyes were wide, Tony's mouth gaped open, and Tim appeared awe-struck. Chandler's was a new restaurant only the very rich could afford. The appetizers were rumored to start around ninety-dollars alone. Added to that, they were shocked that Hach actually got Abby Sciuto to 'attend' an opera. But how had the doc done this?

Frowning at the sudden silence combined with perplexed expressions on the agents. "What have I said?" Hach inquired to Gibbs.

Gibbs only smirked then asked. "How much you pay Abby to take your place?"

Hach nodded that she knew that Miss Sciuto was not an opera enthusiast. "Enough for a sizable contribution to Habitat for Humanity and the Humane Society." Hach noted the sudden expression of worry in Agent Gibbs' eyes. "She truly did me an honor by ensuring that Dr. Mallard did not go alone."

Silence hung heavy for a moment in the Squad Room.

"Agent Gibbs." Came Vance's voice from above. "Bring your team to my office." He paused on purpose then added. "Immediately."

Gibbs knew there was a twist to the plot.

**Chapter Six**

Vance waited for the team to assemble around the conference table. No one chose to sit, remaining standing in a group at the opposite end. Only Gibbs stood beside him waiting to find out what the Director of NCIS knew that they did not.

"Dr. Mallard and Miss Sciuto never made it to Chandler's after the opera last night." Vance pointed the remote control at the video screen. "They were taken in the opera parking garage. I received these photos this morning. Dr. Mallard's Morgan was found parked in a stall on the fourth floor."

Gibbs, Tony, Ziva, and Tim kept their attention on the photos on the large plasma screen.

Vance continued. "NCIS received this as well."

Two photos came on screen.

One of Abby and one of Ducky lying on tables in a dark room were the only identifiable features were the tables themselves. None of the wall details could be discerned at least from this angle. Tim McGee was already trying to break the photo features down for analysis. Abby's computer program would be faster than this in looking at details. If he could figure out their location using what he could see, they might be able to find them faster.

It was then another photo came up with the red '12' in digital numbers on it.

Vance said quietly. "We have twelve hours, correction, eleven hours and fifteen minutes, to find them. The photos came in forty-five minutes ago via untraceable email. The entire IT department's trying to back track it now."

Now Hach felt guilty for not attending the opera last night with Dr. Mallard but she maintained an air of aloofness. There were glances in her direction from Ziva, Tony and Tim McGee. Normally she attended the local opera but last night was overwhelming with work and Jay called to say he was coming home for a visit from school next month.

"The Reaper?" Gibbs wanted to know?

Tony looked to Ziva who both knew what Gibbs meant. No one said a word. Not even Vance knew what to say to the team with regard to The Reaper. His best team was now missing two of their own and that made them angry. He felt a pang of anger himself that NCIS was getting deeper and deeper into the Lucky 12 mess. There would be little he could do to stop Agent Gibbs and the team from turning over every rock.

Vance shrugged. "No one took claim." He shoved his hands in his pockets. "Could be The Reaper."

Gibbs added. "Could be someone we haven't seen before."

"Our guys on the scene found a small pile of dust left on the dash of Dr. Mallard's Morgan." Vance looked towards Hach. "The only clue we were left is on its way here now."

Gibbs knew why Vance did not allow his team to process the scene. The pressure to find the location where Abby and Ducky were being held was on them now. The scene did not matter. If The Reaper was involved, there was little left at the scene to begin with anyway. He glanced at his team and they all nodded.

Hach missed the silent nod and replied. "I will be ready for it, Director." She understood the purpose of the evidence. "The clue was left for a reason."

Vance nodded and Dr. Hature turned towards the door to leave.

Gibbs led his team out of Vance's office without a glance in the director's direction. They knew what they had to do and were anxious to begin.

**Chapter Seven**

Abby tried her restraints one more time just to be sure. She silently cursed the bindings at her wrists and ankles for being so strong. Ducky seemed to be thinking inwardly to himself at the moment. Giving up for the time being, Abby pressed her lips together in thought. If she could somehow out think their captor, she could find a way to get free.

But the room did little for their spirits. The room was solidly built with no seams. She could just make out several rivets indicating they were either on a ship or submarine. Her vote, ship. Most of the ships were deployed already and none were docked at the Naval Yard recently for either renovations or decommissioning.

Sighing, she took another glance at the wires beneath Ducky's table. Somehow neither wanted to admit that they were scared for the moment. Abby tried to strain her eyes to look for every detail of the contraption. But it was pretty apparent what their captor intended to do with them.

She said finally. "It looks like a pressure switch."

Ducky nodded his head and responded. "It began when the second person woke."

Abby knew that. "So it's my fault." She wanted to cry.

Ducky looked around for anything that might help free them. "Any shift in our weight activated it. Whether we were awake or not, Abigail. It's not your fault."

Abby began a low cry. "I have a confession to make."

"It's all right." Ducky tried to console Abby. "We have the time, my dear."

"Hach paid me to go to the opera with you last night." Abby cringed though her hands and feet were bound to the board.

That made Ducky smile but added. "I guessed as much, my dear." It appeared that they were bound to the flat tables currently inclined twenty degrees down at the feet. "You've never hidden your dislike for such entertainment before."

She said in a low whine. "I'm sorry."

He knew Abby well enough. "I'm sure you did it for a worthy cause."

Abby pouted. "I did." She blinked back her tears to explain her stance. "Puppies and building people homes." Abby felt awkward. "It seemed like a worthy cause at the time."

"Your generous deed has not gone without acknowledgement." Ducky smiled. "I'm sure they're looking for us." He paused to draw strength from his own words. "I know they are looking for us."

But admitting it out loud to Ducky did not lessen the guilt she felt. She was unable to look over at Ducky for the time being. She would just have to ride things out for the time being. Not like she could run anyway. Feeling helpless, she pouted again and whispered.

"Tim, you better find me."

She missed seeing Ducky's smile.

It was not often he heard Abby ask for someone else to find her or to make things right. Usually it was Jethro who earned that demanding task. To hear her demand that NCIS Junior Special Agent Timothy McGee find her meant things were changing among the group. A change he felt coming for some time. He already sensed things moving in a different direction for Ziva and Tony though the two were currently hiding their intentions from public view. The idea of change brought a smile to his lips.

Ducky whispered. "Let us hope I can make it out of here to see it."

And he meant it.

**Chapter Eight**

Gibbs returned from getting a new cup of coffee finding his agents eagerly trying to find anything that could lead them to who took Ducky and Abby. And answer the question as to why they were taken. His team would find them. He hoped.

He took a drink from his fresh coffee though none of the three agents noticed him so he asked ending the silence. "Anything?"

All three jumped at their desks.

Tony leapt to his feet first. "According to Agent Stanz, agent first on scene, the time stamp on the parking surveillance camera puts them entering around seven pm. The opera was considered a matinee hence the dinner afterwards."

Ziva added from her desk. "The opera house has them attending Rossini's…uh…La Cenerentola, the Italian translation is called 'Cinderella', at four-thirty. I also confirmed their dinner reservation at Chandler's for eight o'clock. They never made it."

Tony commented. "Ducky intended to treat Abby to good food and an opera." He winced. "I can't believe she took the bribe to go to an opera."

Tim smiled that someone finally got Abby to do the one thing she always swore she could never do. "Boss, there's nothing on the surveillance cameras showing anyone leaving or entering the parking garage."

That annoyed Gibbs. "So we got nothing past the time of Ducky and Abs entering the parking garage."

Tony knew they had nothing else to go on. "According to Stanz's people, witnesses recall seeing the odd couple on the street walking towards the garage. But no one recalls seeing anyone suspicious following them. My guess is that he lay in wait for them at the garage to return."

Gibbs sighed then drank from his coffee again.

Tim added. "Hach has the dust from Ducky's Morgan in the lab." He grimaced that was the only clue left behind. "She's analyzing it now."

Gibbs walked off at that moment leaving his three agents to ponder where their leader was heading.

Tony followed Gibbs out with his eyes. "He's certainly not happy."

"Our hands are tied, Tony." Ziva noted the concern in Gibbs' eyes. "He knows it. Whoever took Abby and Ducky has us under his palm."

"Thumb." Tony corrected. "His thumb."

Ziva was about to ask a question when Tim interrupted.

"She's right." Tim sighed loudly. "And we're just sitting here waiting for something to happen since we've got nothing to go on. And we all know it."

Tony narrowed his eyes. "I'm beginning to really loathe the Lucky 12."

Ziva nodded in agreement. "You think it's The Reaper?"

"Doesn't fell like his style." Tony knew The Reaper was playing NCIS. "He knows we're paying attention. It's got to be someone else."

That gave Tim an idea. "You know, Tony, you might have something there."

And his fingers began tapping away on the keyboard to his computer. When McGee had an idea, the others usually let him track down what he sought. First things first, he needed to send out a very important email to a city worker who helped him out a few times. Gibbs might not care but Vance would if he knew who Tim wanted help from this time. If only he could follow the trail the guy left behind. But it might be worth a shot.

**Chapter Nine**

The evidence from Dr. Mallard's Morgan arrived less then an hour ago. Dr. Hature was working on analyzing the pile of 'dust' found on the dashboard. And yet there was nothing else to do but wait. But Jimmy did not want to wait. He wanted, no, needed, to participate in the investigation some how. Jimmy Palmer paced the hallway outside the Forensics Lab waiting for any word. At that moment, Dr. Hature exited the lab nearly running into him.

"Mr. Palmer." She frowned and spoke curtly. "I find you under foot again."

"I…I'm sorry, Dr. Hature!" Jimmy did not understand why the cool glare from Dr. Hature unnerved him so much.

Hach realized she should not be so hard on Mr. Palmer. "I understand you are merely concerned for Dr. Mallard and Miss Sciuto's safety." She nodded. "Rest assured, we will find them."

She turned to walk away from him.

"Please!" Jimmy reached out to stop her with his hand but refrained from touching her. "Let me help?" He hesitated anxiously. "Find Dr. Mallard."

Hach turned to face Mr. Palmer but said nothing looking him over cautiously. There was potential in the young man. Dr. Mallard often spoke he was a quick study and liked the random facts the doctor so enjoyed. Still, Dr. Mallard often said that the usefulness of random facts were not to be ignored. There was more wisdom in such small details that most over looked. Perhaps this was one of those times?

Jimmy seemed to cower under her stare so she broke the pregnant silence between them. "Perhaps I do have a use for you after all, Mr. Palmer."

She nodded back towards the lab. One thing she learned working at the Naval Yard; she was alone. Her co-workers showed allegiance to Agent Gibbs. She did not have to understand the agent, only his method. He did not play the usual NCIS politics the others did. Agent Gibbs appeared to abhor the military politics as much as she did. However, to use Jimmy Palmer instead of one of his agents might prove more advantageous in tracking down the whereabouts of Abby Sciuto and Dr. Mallard within the allotted time frame.

Jimmy waited before following Dr. Hature into the Forensics lab. The thought she found a 'use' for him was a little scary. Dr. Mallard explained once that she typically showed her true character when you were not looking. He found Hach to be a most pleasant person. With that thought, Jimmy decided to offer his services in any way to help find Dr. Mallard.

At the door, he took a deep breath to steady his nerves then entered the Forensics Lab. The area formerly inhabited by Abby Sciuto…now missing. This was going to an interesting lesson.

**Chapter Ten**

It was unusual to force a team to sit out of the game. Especially where the Lucky 12 were involved. But the Major Case Response Team was down a few teammates. However, the Director did not want anyone associated with the team to handle the crime scene. There was too many conflicts of interest and emotional attachment there so he authorized another team to be brought in from Norfolk to handle moving Dr. Mallard's Morgan to the Navy Yard forensics garage. Agent Jason David Stanz and his team were his primary investigative team at this time.

Gibbs and his team were forced to sit this part out.

But thus far, there was nothing to go on yet. How were they to hunt down the person responsible for kidnapping Miss Sciuto and Dr. Mallard? Vance looked down upon the Major Case Response Team at their desks in the Squad Room below him. They were concerned but focused on finding any clue left behind.

Vance knew there was nothing. He sighed and turned towards his office door.

Ziva got up from her desk and walked over to Tony's desk while the senior agent tapped away on his desk. They were annoyed to be left out of the evidence collecting from Ducky's Morgan down in the basement by order of the Director. She leaned on Tony's filing cabinet with Tim McGee coming to stand off to her right.

"Jason says there's nothing!" She whispered not hiding her frustration. "No prints left behind! No scuff marks! Nothing to indicate how he got both of them out of that parking garage!"

"Jason?" Tony asked quizzically.

"Agent Stanz." Ziva replied. "He's heading the team that brought in Ducky's Morgan."

"He told me his name was David." Tim noted the other two expression and nodded his head. "Anyway, two people, and one guy is responsible?" He shook his head. "I doubt it. There had to be at least two of them to haul Abby and Ducky off quickly. He had to have help in order to avoid being seen by someone."

Ziva reminded Tim. "No one saw anything."

"Yeah, we get it." Tony grimaced at the news. "The guy's Houdini."

Ziva frowned. "Who?"

Tony rolled his eyes. "Never mind." He was frustrated. "There's nothing to go on yet."

Ziva glanced up towards MTAC. "Gibbs isn't happy either with the other team brought in from Norfolk to handle the scene and collect evidence."

Tony knew what that meant. "We shouldn't take it personally." He glanced around the room. "There's a conflict of interest at the crime scene. I get that. One thing on our side, we're not out of the investigation."

"True." Ziva brightened. "Vance never said we were off the investigation." She then ran through what they had so far. "But all we got is Ducky's Morgan with a pile of dust left on the dash. And nothing else."

Tim nodded. "I've looked at every surveillance camera within a ten-block radius. My guy at the city hasn't come through yet. I checked the basement delivery docks of the surrounding buildings. No vans, cars, delivery trucks. Nothing, not even a cart going up the access ramps. I looked at every ATM camera with a view of the parking garage and every entry and exit point. Hell, I even looked at every red-light camera." Tim threw his hands up. "Nothing."

Tony realized they were at a stand still but something occurred to him. "He used the shadows to hide his movements." He began a slow laugh. "The Reaper's a smart guy."

"You're right!" Tim said moderately loud and headed back towards his desk. "He knew we would review all camera footage! I bet he looped the loading dock exits."

Ziva agreed the culprit was smart enough to think of that. "He knew NCIS would review everything. A member of the Lucky 12 would know to keep his movements hidden."

Tim McGee, now at his desk, his fingers began to tap fast across the plastic keys with his new task. That left the other two with having the fun of coming up with another avenue of investigation to pursue.

Tony looked at Ziva. "Awe look, little Timmy's onto something." He got to his feet seeing Ziva's surprised expression then explained. "It's seven pm. Most people don't pay attention to well-dressed couples unless there's something odd about them." He smiled at Ziva who also smiled. "I bet there are a few people out and about who might've seen them." Tony smirked. "We just need to remind them of that couple."

"The other agents did the canvassing of the area already, Tony. There were a number of witnesses who remembered seeing the pair. I doubt they missed anything." Ziva checked her watch then pointed out. "It's almost ten-fifteen now."

"And those agents probably hit all the businesses between the opera house and the parking garage only. What about the residents along the way? They don't know Abby like we do." Ziva appeared perplexed so Tony added. "An older man with a Goth-dressed Abby? That's not something you'd easily forget." Tony smiled. "Those people might still be home."

Ziva liked the angle. "It was around the time people were returning home from work." It made sense now. "I bet someone might have seen something."

Tony nodded while he collected his field gear. He could not just sit around and do nothing. Ziva paused then headed to her desk, rounded it, grabbed her field bag and joined Tony with his field bag walking towards the elevator. They had something to do finally.

**Chapter Eleven**

Jimmy worked at Dr. Hature's computer on the opposite side of the lab table. He could see the glass enclosure sealed for the time being to keep out unwanted NCIS agents from spying on the progress of the analysis. So far, her above-average-top-secret clearance kept everyone out of the Forensics Lab.

The alert came in that someone had tapped into the lab's camera feed thirty minutes after he began helping in the lab. Dr. Hature noted to him that the Director was watching them for any updates. The Director would inform Agent Gibbs of her progress. She did not need the constant interruptions that Agent Gibbs was known for at the Naval Yard.

Jimmy carefully kept the two windows opened as the analysis came in on the dust. He was to compare the results to a database NCIS kept on file. A database Dr. Hature aided in developing some years ago. With each new element detected coming in, the database would narrow down the sources available within the geographical area around DC, Maryland, Virginia and North Carolina.

Tim McGee and Tony DiNozzo both tried to access the lab earlier prior to Ducky's Morgan being brought in only to be turned away by Dr. Hature. Jimmy felt a little cut off but who was he to argue? At least he was helping with the investigation.

At that moment, he looked up to find Agent Gibbs standing at the sealed enclosure sipping his coffee. The supervising agent watched him over the rim of his coffee cup with cool blue eyes. Apparently the director was not informing Agent Gibbs of the progress.

"Uh oh." Jimmy said in a soft voice.

Dr. Hature exited Abby's office and noted Agent Gibbs standing at the door then ignored him. She turned towards the workstation eager to continue the analysis unimpeded. There was a time crunch after all. Dealing with agents would only slow her down.

Jimmy looked between Hach and Gibbs. "Are…you going to let Agent Gibbs know where we're at?"

Gibbs spoke loudly at the door. "I need answers now, doctor!"

Hach paused when she reached Abby's workstation and pressed a key. Her voice suddenly came alive over the speaker beside Gibbs. "And you will get them when I do. The analysis is still running. The Director will keep you informed."

Gibbs looked down at the keypad clearly annoyed by her response.

Hach returned to her task then added out loud for Mr. Palmer's sake since Gibbs could not hear her through the glass. "Director Vance said he would communicate with the investigating agents."

Jimmy swallowed as Gibbs hesitated then left. "He doesn't appear happy." He shook his head. "Not at all."

"Agent Gibbs is not my problem, Mr. Palmer." She tapped the keyboard as more results came in. "There are elevated iron and nickel in this formulation. Mr. Palmer, please key this into the database and locate the areas in the region where these elements can be found at these levels."

"Sure." Jimmy went to his task and whispered. "This isn't going to end well."

And sighed.

**Chapter Twelve**

Gibbs paced the hallway outside the Forensics Lab annoyed at his failed attempt to get results from Dr. Hature as the analysis on the 'dust' found at the crime scene continued. She was doing something with it he did not understand.

Why was she not cooperating with his team? Did Vance give her separate orders? That made him rather angry Leon was keeping secrets from him again. However, the Director seemed to be unavailable for consultation. His door was currently sealed when he attempted to walk in before heading down to the Forensics Laboratory.

There was a lot of hush-hush going on around NCIS these days since the Lucky 12 came onto his radar.

"She said investigating agents." Gibbs shook his head then paused. "Wow."

Dr. Hature did not know Gibbs and his team were not the investigating agents on the case. Agent Jason "David" Stanz and his team out of Norfolk were assigned to it. Part of him knew Hature would pick up quickly enough that his team was not who she needed to report to for this investigation.

That only pissed him off more.

TO BE CONTINUED…


	44. Episode 15: Friend or Foe Part 2

**NCIS Season 9**

**Episode 9.15.2**

**Friend or Foe**

**By: Lady JenDragon**

**Disclaimer: **We know the drill. But I must declare my own characters as mine however!

**Author's Notes: **Read.

* * *

**FRIEND OR FOE**

**PART TWO**

**Chapter Thirteen**

Gibb stood on the stoop of a small house on a quiet street outside DC. It was unusual for him to seek out information from the person who lived here. He knew the person would not be happy to see him either. Alas, the current situation offered little in the way of tact. They were running out of time to find his people.

Tobias Fornell opened the door wearing a plaid collared shirt, jeans and a kitchen towel over his shoulder. "Jethro." He glanced around for anyone else and found nothing. "What brings you to my door? It's not often you come to my house."

Gibbs shrugged. "Times are strange these days."

"How's The Reaper?"

"I wouldn't know." Gibbs turned waited on the stoop to be invited in. "He's taken two of my people. Abby Sciuto and Ducky Mallard."

Fornell stepped aside for Gibbs to enter his home, closing the door slowly behind the NCIS agent. There was nothing out of the ordinary on the street. No one stood out to indicate they were being watched.

Once inside, Gibbs turned to face Fornell in FBI agent's simple living of greens, neutrals, and family pictures. One sofa and a tattered painting hung on the wall. Not much by most standards. Then again, Tobias was single these days. It showed in his home.

"That's not his usual style." Tobias frowned. "How did he do it?"

Gibbs wanted answers. "Opera, coming back to the parking garage. Ambushed them both."

Fornell frowned at the method. "Tranquilizer darts?"

"Probably."

"It's not The Reaper, Jethro." Tobias did not want to get Gibbs involved in his investigation. "Looks like Perfecto's got your people."

"Perfecto?" Gibbs knew the name. "The guy responsible for killing Hature's sister?"

"The very one." Tobias knew his battle would be lost. "He started doing kidnappings long before he discovered the joys of assassinations." He paused. "Assassins got to start somewhere. Abby Sciuto knew more about the history of the case when we brought her on board to chase him down than we did. She knows more about Perfecto's changing MO's and early history than anyone else I know." He paused. "A little scary in my opinion."

Gibbs knew what that meant. "Abby knows who she's up against. He took her on purpose."

"Probably to get your attention." Tobias agreed. "Dr. Mallard was just a bystander."

Gibbs was more than ready to face Perfecto down too. "He has my attention now, Tobias."

"One thing about Perfecto. He's not a leader." Tobias pointed out.

"Someone's lap dog." Gibbs added.

Tobias nodded in agreement. "He takes orders only from someone he trusts. Few people can handle Perfecto's psyche. Once we got wind of Operation Reaper, the files became helpful to track down the L-12."

Gibbs thought out loud. "The Reaper's pulling his chains?"

"Not anymore." He shook his head. "At least that's what we think anyway. Something happened between The Reaper and Perfecto sometime ago. There's enough evidence they're no longer on good terms. Whoever's controlling the Lucky 12 is pulling Perfecto's chains." Tobias sighed. "I'm getting too old for this crap, Jethro."

"Ain't we all?"

There was a small conniving smile to his question. "How's Dr. Hature?"

Gibbs replied simply. "Why don't you ask her yourself?"

"That bad?" Tobias smiled when Gibbs rolled his eyes.

Gibbs gave Tobias a sideways glare then turned to leave the house. He paused when the FBI agent laughed at him. Annoyed, Gibbs left Tobias at his home with the intent of returning to the Naval Yard.

**Chapter Fourteen**

Hach was not convinced that they clearly understood the whole picture. The view on the screen was currently a grass covered vacant lot with nothing but a large brown rock outcrop placed in the center in the middle of Rock Creek Park. However, there was no indication that a structure was ever placed there.

"There is nothing built there to imprison one person, let alone two, for any period of time." Her eyes were focused on the photo on the screen. "There is a purpose to this exercise, Mr. Palmer."

Jimmy did not understand her methodology. "What's that?"

"He is leading us somewhere." Hach knew the chemistry but the method by which it was laid out before her confounded her. "Albeit slowly."

"Like a scavenger hunt?" Jimmy asked.

"This dust is nothing more than debris from multiple objects." Hach was churning every chemistry lesson in her mind to determine where the kidnapper wanted them to go. "But the concentrations and percentages of the amount of dust seems to be important. But which is the right order?"

"So this isn't the work of The Reaper?" Jimmy asked.

"No." Hach knew there was something more to the puzzle. "So the order by which we were analyzing the debris was why we came to this point."

"I'm missing something important aren't I?"

It was unusual to find a riddle she could not solve. "We both are, Mr. Palmer."

"There's iron, aluminum, copper, magnesium, and sulfates in the dust." Jimmy understood a little of chemistry from his classes. "Abby would say that these were only the beginning of the whole story."

"And she would be right." Hach enjoyed that about Abby Sciuto. "These concentrations reflect the larger flakes I found within the dust. There are smaller grain sizes that I'm analyzing separately since they appear to differ than the flakes upon initial observation. In fact, there are three varying sizes within the duct alone."

"You're going from largest to smallest?" Jimmy understood that sometimes the bad guys used methods to throw investigators off their trail.

"Yes." Hach felt the analysis was going too slow. "We have eight hours to complete the analysis until the clock in the photo Vance showed us in his office completes the count down."

She informed Jimmy Palmer upon her initial speech that while he was under her supervision he was to speak to no one about the progress of the analysis. If the kidnapper had a connection to NCIS, he or she would be looking for information. Hach told him of the countdown that appeared to begin at eight am this morning after it was discovered that Abby Sciuto and Dr. Donald Mallard were kidnapped following their attendance of an opera the previous night.

"And we have no idea as to what will happen when the clock counts down?" Jimmy felt nervous at the idea.

"I am to assume it would not bode well for Abby or Dr. Mallard." Hach knew better than to hope for a happy ending if she failed in her task. "This is a test meant to hurt if we fail."

Jimmy said hopefully. "Then we won't fail."

That made Hach pause then continue as more analysis came through the mass spectrometer.

**Chapter Fifteen**

Gibbs returned to the NCIS Squad Room surprised to find only Tim McGee sitting at his desk. He junior agent looked up from his desk grimly, his eyes straining from the avenue of investigation he was pursuing at the moment.

"Boss." Tim nodded towards Gibbs.

"What is it?"

"Retired Admiral outside Seattle just got hit." Tim glanced around for eavesdroppers. "Looks like The Reaper's on the other side of the country at the moment." He paused. "We have a new player in town."

"Perfecto." Gibbs noted the look of surprise on McGee's face. "He's played with us before."

"Back to the Lucky 12 then?" Tim had wondered if Perfecto could be the culprit.

How did Gibbs know?

"Any word from the lab?" Though he knew the answer already.

"Nothing yet." Tim shook his head not wanting to disappoint Gibbs. "Right now the chemistry is showing that it came from Rock Creek Park."

Gibbs wondered. "You get that from Dr. Hature?"

"David, er, Agent Stanz sent me an email after he gets the update on her progress on orders from Director Vance." Tim squinted at his screen. "You've been CC'd…" Tim noted Gibbs chilled expression at the mere mention of technology. "But I know email is your favorite form of communication so I'll keep you posted if anything else comes through again."

That was not what Gibbs wanted to hear. Aggravated, he decided he had enough with the security clearance issue. It was Abby's lab and he should have access to it.

"The doctor be damned." Gibbs stalked off towards the lab.

Tim looked after him with an expression of concern and awe. Not for Gibbs' sake but for Hach's. The doctor did not know Agent Gibbs well enough to handle that kind of anger. He felt sure the doc could handle herself against a NCIS agent. However, it would be difficult to piggyback the video lab feed to find out. She was already blocking him out on purpose.

At that moment, Ziva and Tony arrived back at the Squad Room appearing rather happy with the results of their investigation.

"Where's Gibbs?" Ziva glanced around the Squad Room.

Tim smiled. "He's going down to see Hach."

"Uh, oh." Tony pursed his lips. "That can't be good."

Tim nodded. "He appeared rather angry."

Tony knew the look on Tim's face. "Not that most people would know it."

Tim nodded he agreed.

**Chapter Sixteen**

Not one to give up on trying to find a weakness to restraints, Ducky continued to test the leather and metal buckles. He could feel the heavy connections around the outside of each wrist and ankle. His fingers were unable to find space to catch. The tie-downs were specifically designed to keep their hostages in firm place.

Ducky lifted his head up to glance over at Abby. "So tell me about this Perfecto?"

She moved her head back and forth as if pacing in her mind. She often paced in her lab when something stumped her. Once she figured it out, she would get back to work. Now stuck in this dungeon, Abby Sciuto had no outlet for her overly active mind. She would be looking for ways to get out of this predicament.

"You mean besides his psychotic tendencies?" Abby perked up.

"Considering how uncomfortable this board is, I'm feeling rather relegated to learning more about our captor rather than letting my mind wander to less happy ideas as to what will occur once the clock ticks down."

"Oh." Abby looked up at numbers glaring down at her at seven hour, thirty-four minutes and ten seconds. "He's certainly methodical."

"In execution or methodology?"

"Both." Abby replied evenly. "He kills without emotion but enjoys his job. It's been rumored he allows the person who hired him to choose the method of elimination. How sick is that?"

"Sickness depends on the reasons behind the methodology." Ducky knew to keep Abby talking to keep his mind off the countdown. "However, he appears to have been part of Operation Reaper. A child brought up to be an assassin often has little emotional connection to any person. He will find it difficult to form relationships with others. Which explains his ability to change his method from target to target."

"No emotional attachment to one method." Abby understood that. "Several of his recent victims were high-powered executives on the east coast: one in New York, the other in Atlantic City. Both had ties to the mob. Specifically the Sicilian Luscadrillo crime family. He was hired to remove the competition though the Feds never figured out who actually hired him." Abby wanted to break down and cry. "Gibbs better find us."

"I doubt Jethro would allow anything to happen to us." Ducky was hopeful rather than definitive in his belief Jethro and the team would find them in time.

Abby whined. "It won't be Gibbs he's after."

"You mean…" Ducky left the thought unspoken in case Perfecto was listening.

Perfecto was after something specific?

"He's testing NCIS." Abby understood why 'she', 'they' she corrected, were taken.

"Why the test?" Ducky felt this was an unusual occurrence for assassins. "To find out which agency is the worst threat to the Lucky 12?"

Abby whined slightly. "Yes." She hesitated. "Or so I think."

A test? That got his attention. Psychotics who contrived tests and performed said tests often intended to employ them on future victims. They would be the first in line test subjects.

"Oh dear…"

Was all he could say to that.

**Chapter Seventeen**

Gibbs stood at the glass enclosure once more thwarted in his attempt to get answers from Dr. Hature. The small woman seemed to enjoy torturing him by being obtuse in providing what he needed for his investigation.

"You're getting in my way, doctor." He spoke calmly into the speaker.

Hach said nothing as the new data streamed on the screen in front of her.

At that moment, Tony, Ziva and Tim arrived behind him.

"Boss." Tony started waiting till Gibbs turned to face him. "Ziva and I canvassed the area between the opera house and the parking garage again. We tracked down several residents of the 303 Building, which is four buildings down from the parking garage. All three residents we spoke to noted seeing Abby and Ducky walking towards the parking garage."

Ziva jumped in. "We checked the building on the west side for possible window views into the fourth floor parking garage. James Canlen said he saw a man wearing black enter the parking garage and walk around an old car. We showed him a picture of Ducky's Morgan. James verified the car. He said the man arrived by foot but he went to a white van parked four stalls away."

Tony took over. "James didn't think much of it until now."

That was something in Gibbs' mind. "He get a license plate?"

"Better." Tony pulled out a photo. "James liked the Morgan so much, he took a zoom photo with his camera." It was a small victory. "It has a partial of the van plate. He sent McGee an email with the photo."

"Good work." Gibbs glanced over his shoulder at Hach perusing the data stream like he had seen Abby do many times before.

Tim smirked checking his email on his phone. "I'm running the plates now. So far, nothing's hit yet."

"Find the van, Tim." Gibbs ordered.

He glanced over his shoulder at Hach focused on the computer screen. He hated to admit it that her job was the most important at the moment. If they could find that van, they might have another avenue of investigation. She was off the hook for the time being. But only for the time being.

Tim cheered. "Got it!"

Gibbs led the way towards the Forensics parking garage and employee parking lot.

**Chapter Eighteen**

Gibbs sped the NCIS Dodge Charger towards the address listed on the rental agreement for the van. Tony and Ziva sat in the back seat holding on for dear life. Gibbs was in a real hurry this early afternoon as the clock ticked towards one. 8 pm, the deadline that would seal Ducky and Abby's fate, was fast approaching.

"The APB turned up the white van in north DC located in a vacant alley near the rental address. Fake of course." Tim read off his phone screen. "It looks like it's been there since late last night according to the security guard on duty at the apartment building across the street."

Tony added from the backseat. "Agent Stanz and his team are already on their way."

Gibbs replied. "Not if we get there first."

Gibbs' phone rang and rang in his pocket without him bothering to answer it. Tim sat quietly knowing that it might be Director Vance calling to head them off before arriving at the scene. Tony and Ziva exchanged a few wary glances knowing how delicate the situation was becoming. Still, it appeared they were going to be the first team to make it to the van first.

Turning down the final street, there were seven local police cars strewn across the entrance to the alleyway where the white van was reportedly located. Tim, Tony, and Ziva all knew Vance called in some favors with the DC LEOs. Gibbs slowed down and rolled the window down as the car neared the alleyway. He pulled the car to the side of the officer walking towards them and stopped the vehicle.

The police officer, with Officer Grimly on his nameplate, bent down to look at the four persons in the dark blue Dodge Charger. His sandy brown hair was cut short and his features were round. He looked like a rookie.

Grimly asked. "Agent Gibbs?"

Gibbs felt he knew what was coming. "Yeah?"

He reached inside his blazer pocket and flashed his ID for the officer to verify his identity. Gibbs knew Leon would be furious about being ignored but it was worth the risk. With Abby and Ducky still missing and no clues, they had little to go on. And the clock was ticking down fast.

"I've been told to keep you out of the area." He officer appeared apologetic. "On orders from Director Vance." HE paused. "Sorry, sir."

Gibbs said nothing but revved the motor and shifted the car into drive. He peeled the car away from the scene like a petulant child.

Tim McGee, dissatisfied with the outcome of arriving at the crime scene, began looking through the pictures from the surveillance cameras on his phone for lack of something better to do. He frowned but did not understand what made him question the images he was seeing. He looked through them before. Perhaps having been away, he could find something else they missed previously.

**Chapter Nineteen**

The afternoon was getting late. There were only a few hours left for Abby and Ducky to live. And Dr. Hature was taking forever with the analysis. Gibbs burst into Director Vance's office in a furious rage. Good thing the Director was handling a report not the SecNav upon his entrance.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU TRYING TO PROVE, LEON?!" Gibbs slammed the office door and strode to stand at the front of Vance's desk.

"I don't have anything to prove to you, Gibbs." Vance only lifted his eyes to his best agent. "I'm trying to keep you from doing something stupid."

Vance stood up behind his desk in the gray suit, white shirt and black tie. He rounded his desk prepared to meet NCIS Naval Yard's best agent toe-to-toe. He would not be intimidated by Gibbs at this moment. Not when NCIS was closing in on the Lucky 12.

"Come on, Leon!" Gibbs needed to do something to keep his mind off the clock.

"We've got nothing." Leon knew the game. "You've got nothing. Which means we're at his mercy if we want to find Miss Sciuto and Dr. Mallard alive."

"You hear anything from this guy?" Gibbs wanted to test the waters.

Vance knew Gibbs' play book. "No." He shook his head. "Not a peep. Stanz and his group out of Norfolk's got the van covered. Hairs left behind indicate Miss Sciuto and Dr. Mallard were indeed in the van. It was dropped at that location on purpose. Photos of the area have been taken in case he left a message. I've sent them to Dr. Hature for analysis."

"She's running a full scan on them too?" Gibbs reported.

Vance contacted Hach earlier and got the scoop. "The dust's important in finding our people. I know it." He noted Gibbs' hardened expression. "The photo's might be useful too. Let Hach get the analysis done, Gibbs. She's not like Miss Sciuto."

"You got that right."

Vance thrust his hands into his pockets. "I know you mean she doesn't jump when you walk into the lab. She's used to being left to her own devices without agents crawling around looking for results on impossible timelines."

Gibbs smirked. "You saying I'm difficult, Leon?"

Vance was in no mood to quarry with an agent. "You have your colorful moments."

"I thought you never noticed." Gibbs smirked.

"All kidding aside." Vance hated pointing out the obvious. "There's nothing to go on here."

Gibbs kept his voice low. "Our hands are tied." He signed then added. "The bastard knows it, Leon."

"The Reaper certainly has earned his reputation."

"It's Perfecto." Gibbs noted Vance's change in expression at that. "The Reaper just hit a target in Seattle Washington."

"Perfecto?" Vance frowned at the vague memory of the name. "Suspected of killing…"

"Hature's sister." Gibbs did not like where things were headed. "Almost killed my team at Pier 12 in the harbor."

"The Reaper rigged the warehouse, not Perfecto, Gibbs."

"It doesn't matter who or what to me." Gibbs shook his head. "They both work for the Lucky 12. That means they work together."

"And we'll take them both down in time." Leon knew more than he wanted Gibbs to know at the moment. "Right now, Hach needs another hour to narrow down the area where Miss Sciuto and Dr. Mallard might be held. She's close to figuring it out."

Gibbs was not satisfied with that…

**Chapter Twenty**

The game was simple.

And that made it all the harder to play.

The elevator opened to the second basement and Gibbs automatically stepped out. He walked towards the double doors of Autopsy finding the room barren and dark. Only the light from the hallway illuminated the space through the glass on the doors. The detector sensed his presence and the doors slid open for him.

Instinctively, he walked into the room that usually gave him the answers, either on a professional or personal level. Ducky being in Autopsy gave him a reason to escape the confines of the Squad Room. Sometimes, it gave him peace of mind since the insight he desperately needed to solve the case was part of the crime. He realized just how vulnerable he was without Ducky around.

Add to the agitation, his usual second stop was the one place at NCIS that usually brought in the final determination of identifying the culprit. Abby enjoyed crime solving as much as he did though she did so with chemistry and technology. Even now that place was off limits since the NCIS genius was here. He remained suspicious of Dr. Hature's decision to move to the mainland from Pearl Harbor. Did she have an agenda for accepting the position at Norfolk?

Misguided trust? Maybe he did not openly trust her willingness to help his team out when Abby was aiding the FBI on the Perfecto Case. Even Tobias was suspicious but seemed more informed than him. Members of his team appeared to trust her implicitly.

Gibbs let out a heavy sigh. He was literally left hanging with nothing to hang onto. He was wounded as far as resources. That made him feel vulnerable.

He hated feeling vulnerable.

If Ducky was here, he could reason out his logic. Bounce some ideas off his old friend. Maybe even try to understand a group he felt was responsible for more than just assassinations and political gains by powerful individuals. The Lucky 12 was more than just a culmination of Operation Reaper leftovers.

But to what end?

He whispered. "Someone's keeping us in the dark."

Suddenly, Gibbs left Autopsy in search of answers. And he meant to get some answers this time around. How may people would he need to go through to get them? His patience was almost finished.

**Chapter Twenty-One**

Abby stared up at the large red numbers counting down the time to their fate. Less than six hours left. Whatever that might be. Still, she wondered about a few things. She turned to find Ducky dozing off since there was nothing else to do. She cleared her throat and Ducky stirred. Clearing her throat again, he jerked awake.

"Yes, Abigail?" His voice was low and husky.

Abby let Abigail slide for now. "So why were you going to the opera with Hach?"

Ducky knew little would be missed by Abby Sciuto. "I was attempting to learn more about our new mysterious doctor."

Abby frowned then said delightfully. "What do you want to know?"

"Why she's guarded." Ducky thought carefully knowing how much Abby liked the doctor. "She's quite fascinating, if I do say so myself. On a professional level of course."

"Of course. She's guarded for a good reason." Abby agreed with how much Hach kept her private life, private. "Who would want to know what I prefer on my sandwich? Seriously."

Ducky was intrigued. "You know something I don't know?"

"I know lots of things." Abby said confidently. "She didn't have much of a childhood. It's a shame she never learned hopscotch. It's not the same as an adult." Abby paused to consider the alternative. "Anyway, her dad used her genius to further his career making Captain in like two years. Her mother thought she was the 'devil' because how smart she behaved without trying to understand why. And her sister is now dead because of her link with The Reaper and Perfecto. If I made that much money and worked that closely with the top minds in the world, I would be cautious about who I interacted with too. It's difficult to trust anyone at that level."

Ducky raised his head and looked at Abby. "She told you all of this?"

"Most of it I figured out myself." Abby smirked. "She agreed when I ran it by her. She doesn't go home much."

"Sounds familiar." Ducky mused despite their current situation.

Abby shook her head testing her restraints again.

"At least it did one thing." Ducky pointed out.

"Yeah?" Abby wondered what it could be. "What's that?"

That made him smile. "She got you to the opera."

Her mouth gaped open at the revelation. It finally sunk in that her past declaration came back to haunt her. Suddenly, Abby did not know how to feel about that truth.

"Oh my god!" Abby was astounded. "You think the others know?!"

Ducky smiled. "I'm sure they do now."

Abby felt violated that her secret was out.

**Chapter Twenty-Two**

The silence in the Squad Room was unbearable. Even in the middle of the day, it appeared the room was deserted of NCIS personnel. Perhaps it just appeared that way. No matter what angle they attempted, no one could get answers to what was found in the van earlier.

"It was left there on purpose." Tony stated from his desk. "He put it there so we would be distracted from finding Abby and Ducky."

Ziva reasoned. "So he expected someone to have seen him."

"When you were out canvassing, Gibbs came back to NCIS. He already knew it was Perfecto, not The Reaper, who kidnapped Abby and Ducky." Tim added. "He talked to someone."

Tony surmised. "Probably our friendly Fed Fornell. He's been chasing Perfecto for years without much luck."

"And now we're expected to catch The Reaper and Perfecto?" Ziva lamented. "We're not doing much in the way of catching anything right now. What do we know about this 'Perfecto' guy?"

That got Tony standing behind his desk. "Well, let's start with the fact that Miss Sciuto's been helping the FBI out with tracking down clues following Perfecto's targets. During my recovery from our first run-in with The Reaper, I got to spend some quality time with our resident midnight chemist. Apparently his MO is civilian targets, a clean crime scene, virtually no clues and often leaves someone else's prints behind. This leads me to believe he watches his victims before he ambushes them at home."

Tim added. "Abby knows that the person who took her, also, operates at a genius level. I read his file." That made him frown. "Which means…" Tim looked to Tony. "He knows Dr. Hature is here at NCIS."

Ziva got to her feet. "She was supposed to accompany Dr. Mallard to the opera last night. Abby was a last minute replacement."

"Within an hour, the person going to the opera with Ducky changed." Tony grimaced at the obvious. "The Little Doc was the target."

Another point had to be made Ziva realized. "Either way, Ducky would've been caught in the cross hairs." Her face grew expressionless. "Would Perfecto have allowed Ducky to live if Hach accompanied him to the opera?"

Tony would not think about that. "Let's not focus on the what-ifs here." Something was off to him. "We're not seeing the whole picture. The dust left on Ducky's dashboard means something."

"Like what?" Ziva wanted to know that reason.

Tim jumped in. "If Perfecto knew Abby was aiding the FBI then he might have wanted to test her skills to see just how good she was in Forensics. And if Hach was the main target then Ducky would have been used to play his game anyway. Why would a world re-known assassin kill for free?" McGee knew he had Tony and Ziva thinking, "Hence the dust found on Ducky's dashboard."

"Timmy, you have a point." Tony agreed. "He wouldn't have killed for free. Not if he's part of the Lucky 12. According to the FBI file, Perfecto is a genius though not nearly as skilled as Hach."

Ziva could see it. "So we're playing the initial game Perfecto set up?"

"Only the players have changed." Tony looked towards the lab. "And we need to be ready to move once that analysis comes in."

Gibbs strode in with his coffee at that moment. "That's damn right."

Stopping off at his desk, he rounded his way to the phone, reaching under the desk. In one fluid movement, he stood up with a baseball bat and left the Squad Room. Neither agent spoke for several moments.

Ziva spoke first. "I have a feeling Hach isn't going to be safe behind the glass enclosure for much longer."

Tony smiled wanting to follow in his footsteps but thought better of it. "Let's wait a few minutes before following."

Tim and Ziva silently agreed.

"But not too much longer!" Tony exaggerated his movements as he began to walk-run towards the lab. "Don't want to miss any of the action, do we?!"

Tim and Ziva followed close behind.

**Chapter Twenty-Three**

Jimmy Palmer looked up in time to see Agent Gibbs standing at the enclosure. That was not what made him stand. Hach had her back towards the enclosure concentrating on the chemical analysis. He barely saw the bat come up but he heard the sound it made when it connected with the access panel.

The door immediately failed and cracked open. Gibbs dropped the bat and pushed open the door. He strode over to Hach who turned towards him just as he reached her. She was genuinely surprised to find Gibbs in the lab.

"Can't hide anymore, doc." Gibbs took a menacing step towards her.

Hach backed away unsure why Gibbs appeared angry then side stepped him. "The analysis is not completed. I suggest you stop acting like a Neanderthal, Agent Gibbs."

Gibbs did not know what he wanted from the doctor. "It was you Perfecto wanted! Not Abby! Not Ducky! They got in the way!"

Her expression showed she had not considered the thought. Then again, she would never have come to that conclusion. She backed away from Gibbs with each step he took forward. Finally, she backed up against the glass enclosure having nowhere to run.

The statement made Hach more annoyed than angry. "You are mad."

And now that she was up against the glass enclosure, she felt cornered. She hated this feeling of smallness. Agent Gibbs did not like to be idle. And this entire day kept him in that position. With Director Vance heading his team off in the field to prevent their contamination of the crime scene with the van, she could hardly blame the team for feeling helpless. Gibbs did not appear to take it well.

Gibbs maintained close proximity to Hach. "Abby and Ducky are hostages because of you!"

Hach was sure Gibbs was losing his mind. "Do not blame me for the…"

He cut her off. "A last minute change and Abby goes to the opera after being bribed by you!" Gibbs wanted her to squirm. "Perfecto was…has been watching you for a while now. He's been watching all of us. But you in particular."

Hach could only blink at the accusation. "I have not been watched."

Gibbs lowered his face to hers. "Like you would know, doc."

Hach shoved Gibbs though not far. His much larger size prevented her from moving him to a comfortable distance. She would have to leave. Hach turned to walk away from Gibbs but his hand stopped her. Hach shoved his arm aside. She blinked and found herself hanging between Gibbs and the glass. She tried to squirm out of his grip but he held her tight against the glass.

"Put me down!" She shot back. "I know when I am being watched!"

"What does he want with you?!"

"I am not his target!" Hach felt her anger ruffled at the simple accusation. "NCIS is!"

Gibbs only paused to consider the possibility. "He knows you're here!"

"I would be surprised if he did not know." Hach found herself perplexed by Gibbs. "Perfecto knows how to handle the military."

"Did it ever occur to you, doc, that maybe he's been trying to use you to get into NCIS?!"

She took a breath to calm her nerves against Gibbs' anger. But it was becoming difficult to concentrate on doing her job with his accusations rousing her will to mount a defense. This was a natural response to the anger of another, Hach tried to reason her own anger back to calm.

"I find that difficult to believe." Hach countered. "He is for-hire only. All the Lucky 12 are for hire only."

"Tell that to your sister!" Gibbs regretted the words the moment they came out.

It happened all so fast.

The memory of the sequence of events seemed lost. Hach could not recall the timeline between Gibbs dropping her to the floor and her raising his gun in her left hand towards his face. She blinked at her arm extended, the gun pointed towards his nose, his eyes focused down the barrel. She felt so angry her entire body shook. Yet she could not warrant pulling the trigger.

Her voice sounded as shaky as she felt. "You have crossed the line."

His eyes shifted from the barrel to her eyes. Moments seemed to pass unnoticed between them. Then Gibbs relaxed his stance and snatched his gun from her grip. She let him take the gun without resistance.

Gibbs said challengingly. "Next time you point my gun at me you better be willing to shoot."

And then he left the lab with nothing more than when he arrived.

Hach did not bother to follow him with her eyes. Her mind was numb from her actions. She slowly walked towards the workstation, her mind currently unable to form a logical thought. Her body still shook from her response and the actions that followed. To have pulled his gun on Gibbs, she could not think straight. But he brought Gwendolyn into the argument. Tears fell down her cheeks. She could not find the strength to stop them.

Jimmy was more than just shocked. His mouth was a gape. His body seemed frozen by what transpired between Agent Gibbs and Hach. He never saw Gibbs lose it like that and to be so physical with a woman. It was like watching two immovable forces meeting for the first time. But his comments about her sister caused the gun to come out. Once Gibbs left, Hach shakily walked to the workstation after the ordeal.

Her voice remained shaky when she spoke. "Can you give me five minutes, Mr. Palmer?"

Jimmy nodded despite her not looking at him. "Sure."

He walked towards the enclosure and paused.

"Abby and Ducky are the two most important people here to Agent Gibbs." He paused. "I don't condone what he did." He paused again to decide his final thought. "But he was wrong."

**Chapter Twenty-Four**

Again he was back in Autopsy pondering his actions as he holstered his weapon again. He paced back and forth assessing his actions. His anger took control and he lost it. Hach would not let this indiscretion be forgotten. Gibbs ran a hand over his hair and paced.

Once he calmed down, he leaned against the wall next to Ducky's desk in the dark finding solace in the emptiness of the room. Could Dr. Hature be right about Perfecto? Was NCIS the target and not a specific person? Dr. Hature seemed to think so.

Gibbs did not recall the events that led up to the gun being pulled. His anger often erased the memory of spoken words. But he did remember her expression when he referenced her sister. And it haunted him. There were only a few times where he glimpsed some emotion from NCIS' resident genius. All of them involved one person.

He whispered to himself in the dark. "I found her Achilles heel, Duck."

Her sister, Gwendolyn's, death at the hands of Perfecto proved to get an instantaneous response from the mysterious doctor. Though not the one he expected. When Gwendolyn Stillman's relationship to The Reaper was first discovered and Hach was put under protective detail, they learned little details about the woman. She was not afraid for her own safety. Nor was she willing to share her inner emotions.

If she was haunted by the death of her twin sister, no one could blame her. But no one saw the signs that death left on the living after passing. The pair were separated a long time but the curiosity of the other twin remained. Despite how smart they were outwardly.

"Some bonds never break." Gibbs whispered.

He knew exactly how that felt.

A moment passed and the thought of Shannon and Kelly popped into mind. The two people he missed the most. Gibb s pushed them to the back of his mind for the time being. Finding Abby and Ducky were his top priority.

There was speculation that The Reaper tried to save Gwendolyn Stillman from Perfecto's wrath. However, the connection of Stillman to The Reaper remained the only purpose for her becoming a target. Which meant, Perfecto had killed for free after all.

TO BE CONTINUED….


	45. Episode 15: Friend or Foe Part 3

**NCIS Season 9**

**Episode 9.15.3**

**Friend or Foe**

**By: Lady JenDragon**

**Disclaimer: **We know the drill. But I must declare my own characters as mine however!

**Author's Notes: **Don't forget to review!

* * *

**FRIEND OR FOE**

**PART THREE**

**Chapter Twenty-Five**

Jimmy was shaken by the events that unfolded in Forensics and his audience was glued to every word. Tim, Tony, and Ziva hung on each syllable as he retold the story in the restroom on the same level as the lab. He was hauled off to spill every detail of the incident in a whisper. They missed the entire event waiting for the elevator since two janitorial staff guys on the second floor were trying to move a couch through the stairwell and blocked them from getting to the Forensics Lab sooner.

Ziva wanted clarification. "She pulled his gun on Gibbs?"

Tim raised his eyebrows, eyes wide. "How did Gibbs respond?"

The program was running on the surveillance video for the fourth time. It was best to let it simmer while he caught up on NCIS gossip. And this was gossip worth catching up with between moments.

Jimmy relayed exactly what he heard. "He told her the next time she pulled his gun on him she better be willing to shoot him."

He was sure the story would be told countless times over the coming weeks. Ducky and Abby would need to be told. Jimmy felt sorry that Abby had hopes the two would get along in the near future. Now that this occurred, he saw no way of either being friends.

Tony grimaced. "Ouch. Those two need counseling." He shook his head. "Good luck with that."

Tim wondered one thing. "Where's Gibbs now?"

Ziva offered knowing Gibbs well enough. "Probably reassessing what he did." Even the others silently agreed with Jimmy that Gibbs crossed the line this time. "I'm sure Vance will find out about this."

Jimmy continued. "Hach believes NCIS is the target, not her."

"Why?" Tim did not understand.

Jimmy shook his head. "I don't know. Gibbs didn't wait for an explanation. He stalked out of the lab after she aimed his gun at him." He checked his watch. "I got to go. She only gave me five minutes."

"Gibbs just gave her the shock of her life." Tony patted Jimmy's shoulder. "I'd give her ten minutes to recover." Jimmy appeared concerned about the time constraint and he shook his head slowly. "I doubt she'll even notice you were gone more than five minutes."

Jimmy paused then nodded in agreement.

**Chapter Twenty-Six**

Gibbs was off probably getting a new cup of coffee. It had been a while since his face-off with Hach down in the Forensics lab, Tim was sure the boss needed to clear his head. In the Squad Room, Tim was sure he was missing something obvious. Ziva and Tony were trying to track down other lines of investigation without success. Though the incident in the lab still had some of their attention. However, it was coming up on two o'clock now. Time was ticking for Abby and Ducky.

Tim suddenly brightened. "That's it!"

That made Tony and Ziva startle at their desks.

Ziva got up from her desk. "What?"

Tim rolled his eyes. "I've been staring at it the whole time!" He shook his head annoyed it took him so long to figure it out.

Tony rounded Tim's desk to stand behind him. Ziva followed the same path, standing by Tony's side. Their focus was on the computer screen. Tim pressed a few keys a brought up a still of Ducky and Abby in the parking garage elevator.

"Look!" Tim pointed at the screen.

Tony frowned squinting his eyes. "What?"

Even Ziva seemed lost.

Tim brought the photo up on the plasma between Tony's and his desk. The group moved to look at the larger photo. Abby was out of sight in the corner of the elevator while Ducky was facing the camera having just pushed the button. Tim seemed to believe he had something they could use.

Ziva leaned over to Tony and whispered. "Tell me you're lost too."

Tony shook his head. "Oh, yeah."

Tim heard them. "Look at the elevator buttons." He smiled. "I missed it every time."

Tony and Ziva squinted.

Ziva had to admit. "I don't know what you mean."

"He pressed six, not four!" Tim clarified. "Ducky parked on the sixth floor initially."

Tony moved towards his desk. "Which means the real crime scene is two floors above where we found Ducky's Morgan."

Ziva wanted something to do so she headed to her desk to collect her field bag. "But why move the Morgan?"

Tony replied on his way to the elevator. "Easier to move a car than a crime scene."

Tim realized he was left behind at his desk with nothing else left to do.

**Chapter Twenty-Seven**

Hach glanced at the screen over Jimmy's shoulder. It was apparent he was uncomfortable with her standing behind him but Hach did not bother to concern herself with his pet peeve. Unwilling to endanger his position with the investigation, Jimmy swallowed his pride and sat there quietly. He still felt nervous around a woman so completely confident. Dr. Hature was still scary to him.

"West side, north DC and the harbor west." Hach knew there was a catch. "The analysis puts us in all three locations."

The map showed three distinct areas where the structures of former plants and factories once operated. The businesses were shut down now but the remnants remained of the golden years of US manufacturing. The plants were highlighted in yellow and the surrounding landscape in a bright green.

Jimmy said finally. "He's trying to confuse us."

"Of course." Hach agreed. "I doubt his intent was to make it easy. Let us look at this logically. He purposely gives us three areas to search."

Jimmy thought the answer was simple. "We should search all three areas then."

"There is not enough time to search each one." Hach pondered the larger picture of the game created by Perfecto. "He wants us flustered at trying to find them."

Jimmy nodded. "He's doing a good job."

"Not good enough." Hach pressed several keys in rapid succession.

Jimmy was sure she sent an email to Director Vance who would be waiting for results like the rest of NCIS. With another press of a key Director Vance appeared on screen.

They could only see Director Vance's face. "Doctor Hature?"

"I have sent you the three areas where Miss Sciuto and Dr. Mallard might be held. The analysis is specific to former factory plants seldom used during the 90's, which are currently abandoned. The rust is specifically from a saltwater tank but I have not narrowed down which one. These three plants all show records of operating a saltwater tank for testing new products."

Vance replied. "Perfecto's not making it easy for us."

Hach shook her head. "Perfecto seems intent on our discovering the exact location last. The rust itself is specific with copper and iron constituents. I am chasing down the manufacturers of the tanks during the time period of the factories operations to determine chemical composition that each plant utilized. I am afraid it will take another hour to narrow it down."

Vance did not appear happy. "There's only an hour and a half left, Dr. Hature."

"I am aware of the time, Director." Hach waited for Leon Vance to make up his mind.

Which was not long.

Vance was unsure why rust mattered. "We'll split into three teams to cover the factories. I'll assemble as many agents as we have. Get me the final location, doctor."

Hach nodded and pressed a key to make the Director disappear off the screen. The map remained on screen as Hach walked towards the workstation in the outer lab area. She worked better when she could see everything together side-by-side.

**Chapter Twenty-Eight**

All NCIS agents not assigned to a specific case or who wanted to volunteer were to meet in the Forensics Garage for assignment. Tony and Ziva arrived to find a number of agents mingling around the room waiting for orders. Tony recognized one face in the crowd.

Tony walked towards the shorter agent. "Agent Wilson!"

Duane Wilson smiled as Ziva joined to greet him as well. He was once assigned to Gibbs team as an intern prior to being sent off to training. The Major Case Response Team was feared by many interns and probie agents due to the presence of its senior supervising agent; Leroy Jethro Gibbs. However, to everyone's surprise, Gibbs recommended him as an agent and his career as a NCIS agent began at FLETC.

"Agent DiNozzo." Duane smiled widely shaking hands firmly with the senior field agent. "It's been a while."

Ziva smiled back. "Wow, how long has it been?" She frowned. "A couple of years?"

Duane nodded. "Yeah. Had a kid since then. A boy, named Duane Junior."

Ziva was the first to say. "Congrats!"

Tony turned as if sensing something coming. Ziva knew Gibbs was coming. They turned to stand beside Duane Wilson. Wilson was perplexed by the sudden change in Agent's DiNozzo and David's behavior.

Suddenly, Gibbs entered the Forensics garage and social hour died down. The conversation died without reminding. Every agent paid the senior agent in the room their full attention.

"Listen up!" Gibbs talked loud enough to be heard. "There will be three teams. Two agents go in, four hold back until each area is cleared. There won't be enough time for second guesses. The lab has narrowed the location of our people down to three areas. The last of the analysis has yet to come in. When it does, we are to be ready to execute rescue operations." Gibbs looked over the agents waiting for orders. "We are to expect the location where the hostages are being held to be bobby trapped. These locations formerly operated saltwater tanks. The plans of the plants have been sent to the lead agent of your team for reference." He was not going to sugar coat the mission. "Whichever team is called upon to save Abby Sciuto and Dr. Mallard will only have few minutes to do so."

No one said a word.

Gibbs continued. "The three teams will be Agent David with me. Agent DiNozzo and Agent Stanz. Agent McGee and Agent Wilson." He looked to the other agents. "Each team will have two back ups. Time's ticking."

With that, the teams molded into groups and headed towards the parking lot.

**Chapter Twenty-Nine**

The cars were waiting in the parking lot for the dispersal of agents under orders. A swarm of people left the NCIS building, entered cars, slammed doors, and burned rubber on their way out.

Tony and Agent Stanz would take DC north. Tim McGee and Duane Wilson would take the West Side. Gibbs and Ziva took Harbor West. Each team broke off into a caravan of five cars each and headed out towards their prospective areas.

No team was to enter the building unless directed by Gibbs. The potential for booby traps were high with this kidnapper. He was shown to use explosives in the past. It was a real danger for them now.

No one noticed the dark hood figure watching the scene from across the street. He stood in the darkness beyond the fence between NCIS and the remainder of the Naval Yard. Few would know how he ever got there. Only that he would leave something behind no one would soon forget.

And that would be worth waiting to meet them at a later date.

**Chapter Thirty**

Tony and Agent Stanz arrived at the factory in the DC north area. Both agents remained quiet, which was unusual since Stanz knew DiNozzo to be a 'talker'. Apparently not tonight. Tony was deep in thought pondering which location actually housed Abby and Ducky. He worried they would not make it in time.

Despite the darkness the factory was surrounded by a tall, six-foot cinder block wall. Tony pulled up to the gate that appeared to have never been opened in the almost twenty years since its last use. Tony believed that no one was here.

"Agent DiNozzo?" David Stanz asked from the passenger seat.

"Yeah, Dave?" Tony glanced to his right.

"Deck says the back fence appears recently broken into. There are tracks leading through the trees along the back wall. Less than two days old."

Tony hid his sigh. "How does Agent Deck know that?"

David Stanz knew Gibbs' team was on edge. "It rained two days ago and there's fresh tracks in the mud. Looks like it matches the rental van." He paused. "Could be he drove them out here."

"Or wants us to think that he drove the van through the back." Tony nodded then put the car in reverse. "This isn't good."

That meant booby-traps were most likely. If they had to go into the building at all, Tony rationalized. Perfecto could have rigged the place to blow up anyway just to cover his tracks. Either way, it was going to be dangerous.

**Chapter Thirty-One**

Tim stared out the windshield at the abandoned glass manufacturing plant located on the west side of DC. The neighborhood was mostly old industrial buildings undergoing renovation to revitalize the area. The factory would have lots of broken glass and equipment left lying around. The other cars were doing a perimeter search to verify no other entrances existed other than the front gate.

Duane sensed the tension in Tim McGee. "Well find them, Tim."

"I know." Tim sighed. "It's weird when it's your people."

Duane reached over and patted Tim on the shoulder. "That's why we work harder for them." He nodded. "We're going to find them. One of our teams will find them in time."

Tim nodded he agreed. "The front gate looks rusted shut."

Duane heard his radio crackle alive and the report sounded garbled. "Seems like there's another entrance on the west side of the plant. Jack and Avery seem to have found tire tracks leading into the parking lot through a break in the fence."

Tim shifted the car into reverse and headed for the west side of the plant.

**Chapter Thirty-Two**

Gibbs left another car sitting at the front gate to do the perimeter search himself. Ziva stared at the aerial view of the factory layout. It was an old aquatics manufacturing plant that operated up through the early nineties.

"There's another entrance on the south end." Ziva located the street that would take them there but Gibbs already knew about it. "It looks like the employee entrance. There's a large parking lot behind the plant."

Gibbs screeched the car around the corner. The other vehicle in their caravan were coming towards them from the opposite direction in case they caught someone trying to escape the perimeter.

Ziva's eyes widen at the curb and trees along the back wall of the property line. Somehow, Gibbs believed they could jump the curb. Grass and trees grew in the street asphalt over the years hiding the entrance from view. However, it appeared there were tracks now.

Gibbs said finally. "Looks fresh."

"Agree." Ziva knew that fresh tracks were no indicative of constant activity. "Tony and Tim have also found back entrances with fresh tracks at their locations. He's playing with us, Gibbs."

"Where's the tank located?"

Ziva brought up the plans sent by Hach. "Southeast corner of the building near the parking lot. We can get through the double doors through the cafeteria and into the tank room. There's four tanks along the west walls if the plans are correct."

Gibbs rolled through the trees and through the back entrance without hitting anything like a gate or chain. It appeared no one bothered to check if there was a barricade, assuming one existed. He followed the fresh tire tracks through the mud towards the double door entrance.

The car skidded to a stop and Gibbs immediately got out. He pulled his SIG from its holster and slammed the door.

Ziva reminded Gibbs on purpose. "We're not to proceed inside until we know for sure."

"This is the place." Gibbs glanced around.

"What makes you so sure?" Ziva exited the vehicle to join Gibbs.

He nodded towards the double doors. Perfecto's sign was written in red on the door. Normally it was etched into the victim's skin but apparently he adapted for this moment. On the other door was The Reaper's sign written in dark ink against the graying color of the metal. She nodded that it might be true but to advance based on a hunch would be difficult to explain to Director Vance if they found nothing.

Gibbs headed to the doors and peered inside. Ziva trusted his judgment and followed him to the door, pulling her SIG. There would be time to decipher the gut instincts of Gibbs later. What they needed now was something to verify Abby and Ducky were in the building.

Gibbs paused with his hand on the door. "You ready?"

Ziva only nodded, setting her mind into rescue mode. "He won't make getting to them easy."

"One step at a time." Gibbs yanked open the door which was apparently left open.

His radio crackled to life just as Ziva's did and Vance's voice came on. "All teams, Harbor West. Repeat. Your target is Harbor West."

That was all they needed.

**Chapter Thirty-Three**

Abby watched the clock fall under the 30-minute mark. Her heart began to race. Her adrenaline was beginning to kick in now that there was only half an hour remaining to live. She felt suddenly cold and anxious. Ducky sensed her change in mood.

"Abby?" Ducky asked softly

She hesitated before answering. "Y…yeah?"

"We're going to be okay." Ducky tried to calm her growing fear.

There was a loud click. Suddenly, a bright light turned on above them partially drowning out the time remaining. There was a tripod sitting on the above beam across the tank. On top of that, was an odd contraption that neither could make out from their vantage point. One thing they knew, the tank was fifteen feet tall and twenty-feet wide now. A catwalk in the upper half of the tank indicated that larger items were tested here. The tripod rested where the catwalk, now gone, once rested on the beam.

"What is that?" Ducky narrowed his eyes to get a better look.

There was another click and the sound of churning metal. Ducky looked around the tank as he realized what the source might be. The sound echoed loudly and seemed close by. Abby was, also, looking around for the source.

"Ooohhh…" Abby whined. "That's not good…"

Ducky did not want to panic just yet. "What makes you say that, my dear?"

At that moment, they heard the rush of water. Seconds passed but nothing happened. Suddenly it began to cascade from the ceiling into the tank. Ducky and Abby exchanged a glance.

"I think you might have a point, Abigail." Ducky tested his restraints.

Abby began a slow whine. "I never expected my last moments to be so wet."

At that moment, the tripod came alive. The contraption hummed then pointed downward. It was then both hostages understood what it was: arrows on a multifunctional crossbow. Abby whined lower but deeper this time as she shrunk against the board.

"He certainly wants to make things difficult." Ducky began testing his restraints again. "Doesn't he?"

He felt overly alarmed at the sincerity of their situation. Unless Jethro came through the opening at the top, there would no hope of saving them. Being attached to the tables, they would be underwater at exactly the precise moment the clock ran out.

Ducky growled. "Bastard."

Abby whined but she tried her restraints as well hoping for a weak link somewhere.

**Chapter Thirty-Four**

Gibbs entered the building with Ziva immediately behind him. They found nothing out of the ordinary in the hallway as they cautiously approached the entrance to the cafeteria on the left. Gibbs reached the door first then Ziva slid silently over across the doorway to stand at the other side. There were no windows into the cafeteria suggesting the doors remained open during normal operations.

Gibbs contemplated if something might be behind the door waiting for them. Ziva counted to three silently then pushed open her door. And waited.

Nothing happened.

He pushed open the door wider and Ziva followed him second. Two more agents entered the building and Ziva motioned for them to follow silently.

Inside the cafeteria, the tables remained in lunchroom formation but the chairs were stacked at the far north end of the large rectangular room. Ziva did not think much of this at first until the first bullet was shot. Gibbs found cover behind the thick pillar holding up the building. Ziva dove and slid behind the pillar, which was one away from Gibbs.

"Motion detector." Ziva whispered to Gibbs who nodded.

The other two agents were behind one pillar together, their weapons drawn. They heard two other agents entering the building in the hall. To shout would set off the weapon. Ziva waved her hand from behind the pillar and the automatic gun began firing from left to right and back again at chest height. Plaster, glass, and paper began flying as bullets ripped into the walls and windows behind the agents taking cover. Gibbs tried to see where the gun was located and found his target. But it appeared Perfecto hid the exact size from view.

"What do you suggest, Gibbs?" Ziva wanted to know.

"Distract it." Gibbs replied.

Ziva wondered how she was supposed to do that.

Gibbs looked towards the door leading to where the tank room held Abby and Ducky. He knew that door out of the cafeteria would not be easy to open. And the door opened outward, not inward towards the next room. And the nearest pillar was sixteen feet away. It was too far to check the door and return safely to the pillar if the gun fired.

The two agents shifted position behind the pillar and set off the gun again. This time it focused on the pillar where the two agents were located then spread out around the room back and forth. It shut off then, the shell casings clanking onto the floor tile.

"It's got to be hooked up to a ribbon." Ziva finally said annoyed they were pinned down. "No way there are that many bullets in a clip."

"On three." Gibbs gripped his gun. "Aim for the gun."

The other two agents motioned they were in.

"One." Gibbs readied his stance. "Two." He made eye contact with each agent and nodded. "Three!"

Four agents began firing at the weapon at the end of the room as it fired from left to right. Gibbs' bullet hit the laser marker while Ziva's hit the motion detector. They heard the clatter on the floor tiles and the bullets spray suddenly stopped. There was some humming and revving as the gun attempted to fire but nothing happened.

"Secure the weapon." Gibbs ordered the two agents. "Be careful."

They nodded and cautiously approached the weapon. Gibbs and Ziva headed over to the tank room door and paused before opening it. Nothing happened as it creaked open on rusted hinges. Cautiously, Gibbs poked his head into the black room. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a flashlight as did Ziva.

"Anything?" Ziva asked.

Gibbs shook his head. "It's really dark."

Ziva knew there was little choice but to go in. "He could have rigged anything for us in there."

"True." And Gibbs stepped through.

**Chapter Thirty-Five**

Ducky and Abby did not hear the faint gunshots over the sound of the cascading water that drowned out most sounds. There were five minutes left on the clock. The water was getting higher and higher in the room. Her feet were under water now. Ducky's table was at the same height as hers was and the water was fast covering them.

"We're not going to make it, Ducky." Abby hated the idea of drowning on a table, her eyes on the water towards her face.

"Yes, we will." Ducky felt the water creeping up over his chest now.

"They aren't coming for us, Ducky." Abby felt the shivers beginning from the chilled water being pumped into the tank.

Ducky did not know what to say to this. "I hope you're wrong, Abby, my dear."

Part of him wondered what was taking Jethro so long. Maybe they did not find the clues Perfecto left for NCIS to find? Maybe there was something that was missed.

**Chapter Thirty-Six**

It was almost blacked out completely in the tank room. If the skylight were clean, they would have ample light from the moon. The one night there were no clouds in the sky over DC. There dim tidbits of light as they slowly passed the first tank. It was slow going since there was so much stuff on the floor and their flashlights seemed to get lost in the darkness. Part of her wondered what that might be on the floor.

Gibbs paused and pounded on the first tank that echoed inside. It was empty. The second tank was at least thirty feet away. He tried to go slow but time was wasting on finding Abby and Ducky alive. Abby and Ducky would not last long if the tank was filled with water.

That is when he heard the rushing watering overhead.

"Ziva, listen." Gibbs paused listening to where it was going.

"Fourth tank, Gibbs!" Ziva flicked her flashlight to the floor and found catwalks lying on the floor sideways. There were numerous other equipment in their way as well. "He created a maze of junk for us."

Gibbs began the arduous task of climbing onto the junk and leaping from piece to piece to save time.

Annoyed, she knew time was not on their side. Ziva leapt onto the first piece of junk and began leaping her way towards Tank Four at the end of the room. She tried to follow Gibbs' path as he was out ahead of her.

**Chapter Thirty-Seven**

Abby stared up at the tank roof as water encircled her face. It was getting to the end. Her eyes had been crying as the water slowly engulfed them. Ducky remained hopeful until about one minute ago. Faced with the thought of a drowning death, his hope waned in the final moments.

Abby swallowed before she spoke. "It's been a good run, Ducky."

"Indeed." He tried to be brave but his voice quivered. "We have had a good time, haven't we?"

Abby only nodded her reply.

They fell into accepted silence waiting for the rising water to drown them both. At that moment, the valve at the top twisted slowly at first. Then it twisted again and again. Eventually it opened and Gibbs peered inside.

"Got them!" He called to the other agents arriving in the tank room.

Abby opened her eyes at the sight of Gibbs in the circle above. Immediately she perked up and shouted.

"Gibbs!" Abby was so happy to see someone familiar yanking on her restraints. "You came!"

Ducky opened his eyes to see Ziva peer into the tank with Gibbs assessing the situation inside.

"Hurry!" Ducky realized his face was going to be covered in a few seconds.

"Watch for the arrows!" Abby called out yanking on the restraints until she could be free. "Hurry! We're drowning here!"

Gibbs noted the arrows pointed down at Abby and Ducky.

"Careful." Ziva warned him. "Hit the control box only otherwise it'll ricochet."

He nodded then took aim and shot the black box Ziva and he assumed was the control for the unit. The arrow assembly shorted then the arrows dropped and pointed towards the floor. Satisfied with the outcome, Gibbs holstered his weapon.

"They're bound hand and feet. I'll get Ducky, Gibbs." Came Ziva's voice. "You take Abby."

Gibbs jumped through the access portal into the tank. He disappeared beneath the surface and popped up next to Abby. Ziva jumped in after Gibbs and landed where he had, disappearing beneath the surface. She came up seconds later and swam for Ducky.

"Hang on." Ziva said before disappearing beneath the surface.

Ducky and Abby were straining to keep their noses above the waterline. In seconds they were covered. Ziva noted that Ducky's restraints were leather in places. She reached down and found her knife. Quickly, she released Ducky's left hand. Swimming quickly, she cut the left ankle then the right ankle. Ducky was floating towards the surface barely capable of getting a breath. Ziva surfaced to take a breath and went back down for the right wrist, cutting the leather binding easily with her knife.

Ducky felt himself free. He swam to the wall, meeting Ziva there. They would have to tread water until the water level rose high enough for them to climb out of the tank. Seconds later, Gibbs broke the surface with Abby Sciuto. She sputtered then slowly began treading water as she recovered.

Gibbs looked at Abby. "What did you mean 'I came'?"

Abby shrunk away slightly then got her sense of humor back. "I was traumatized, Gibbs! I thought I was going to die! Cut me some slack! I was on the verge!"

Ducky and Ziva laughed when Gibbs grabbed Abby and hugged her closely.

He said finally. "Not likely, Abs."

**Chapter Thirty-Eight**

Tony DiNozzo and Tim McGee arrived at the Harbor West factory amongst the flashing lights of NCIS agents, ambulances, DC police and DC fire trucks. They exited their vehicles forgetting about their passengers in hopes of finding out if Gibbs and Ziva found Abby and Ducky in time.

They paused when a wet Ziva exited the building with Ducky in tow, who was wrapped in a dark gray warming blanket. A water drowned Gibbs came next after the pair with Abby Sciuto in tow, wrapped in the same gray warming blanket. Her hair was flat and her make-up was running but she appeared in good spirits.

Tim and Tony moved towards the group.

Upon reaching them, Tim took Abby in a big hug. Tony hugged Ziva then grabbed Ducky as well. Tim and Abby moved to join the other three. Gibbs smiled watching the five in a group hug.

The surrounding agents clapped as the scene was being processed.

Gibbs took no notice of the factory knowing it would be scoured for clues through the night. Perfecto taking two of NCIS civilian employees would not bode well for the Navy or the SecNav.

**Chapter Thirty-Nine**

The next day, Gibbs stood in front of Director Vance's desk with Dr. Hature standing beside him closest to the door. Vance did not look happy but nor did he appear overly offended at the reason they were having this little meeting.

"You pulled an agent's SIG on him, Dr. Hature." Vance paused the video of the Forensics Lab. "For that alone I can fire you."

Hach replied evenly. "I felt threatened enough to warrant the action, Director." She lifted her chin. "His behavior was unbecoming of an agent. I should have him put on report which would require you to fire your best agent."

Vance agreed glancing at Gibbs standing stone-faced annoyed he was forced to suffer through this. Leon heard the audio of the exchange. "Agent Gibbs isn't known for patience."

"Or tact." Hach added. "Agent Gibbs crossed the line."

That got a grunt out of Gibbs standing next to her.

"Agent Gibbs cares for his team, Dr. Hature."

"That does not give him the right to intrude into my part of the investigation or treat me as he did yesterday." Hach knew the SecNav would be watching this incident closely. "He cost me precious time on obtaining the results, which I would have had given to you ten minutes earlier had he not interfered."

Gibbs faced Dr. Hature but she remained standing uptight facing Vance. "You got a problem with me, doctor?!"

"Yes." Hach turned to face Gibbs. "When the old dog is not willing to learn new tricks." Hach turned back to Vance. "Then it is time to put the dog out."

Vance smirked at the idea of Gibbs being called an old dog.

Gibbs set his coffee down on Vance's desk agitated. "Did it ever occur to you that Perfecto…"

Hach interrupted Gibbs facing him again. "…knew exactly how long it would take me to analyze the dust left on the dash in Dr. Mallard's Morgan. Down to the millisecond. Perfecto also knew how long it would take me to connect the dots to narrow down the constituents of the dust to locate the exact submersion tank where Miss Sciuto and Dr. Mallard were held captive." She had both of their attention. "He knows just how good I am." She paused. "He's playing games with us due to The Reaper's interest in NCIS."

Vance added. "Perfecto killed your sister."

Hach faced the director again. "As Agent Gibbs so eloquently pointed out." Hach stole Gibbs a stone glance. "But only because of her liability to The Reaper and the Lucky 12."

Vance appeared angry. "You mean the crazy son-of-a-bitch has officially joined our fan club?"

"Yes." Hach nodded. "Miss Sciuto's aid to FBI's investigation in attempt to capture him interested him enough to warrant this little exercise according to Dr. Mallard's assessment." She was unsure how to handle Agent Gibbs. "He gave us plenty of time to find them without causing either of them any harm."

Gibbs narrowed his eyes slightly. "He was testing us."

Hach nodded. "NCIS has the full attention of the L-12 now."

Vance sighed at that moment.

"Crap." Was his only reply, which got the attention of Gibbs and Hach.

**THE END**

Next time on NCIS…CGIS Agent Abby Borin comes looking for NCIS help.


	46. Episode 16: Ship and the Lighthouse P1

**NCIS Season 9**

**Episode 9.16.1**

**THE SHIP AND THE LIGHTHOUSE**

**By: Lady JenDragon**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own the NCIS characters as seen on the TV but I've added my own characters.

**Author's Notes: **Wow! Is it really September already?

* * *

**The Ship and the Lighthouse**

**Part One**

**Chapter One**

Leroy Jethro Gibbs was not an agent often angered for long periods of time. In fact, many would say he was aloof and mysterious. His mind worked in ways few understood. Outsiders would see him as hardened or demanding. Those that were closest to him knew him as dedicated. It was not often his methodical tempest was challenged. Except recently.

At that moment he looked up from his desk into the face of Coast Guard Investigative Service Agent Abby Borin. Her red hair appeared a dark brown in this evening's dim light of the Squad Room. She was letting it grow out again. Her white collared shirt was evident under the brown blazer accenting her black trousers and boots.

A small smile curved the edges of his mouth. "Agent Borin. What can NCIS do to help the Coast Guard?"

The thick file under her right arm told him she came with a purpose. Gibbs admired Agent Borin's work ethic since it mimicked his own. She was not afraid of making waves or upsetting the apple cart. Still, he noted there was an edge to her presence.

Agent Borin flicked her long hair over the left shoulder with a quick nod. "Heard you're chasing ghosts these days, Gibbs."

He weakly smiled as he folded his hands together on the desk. His agents, Tim McGee, Ziva David and Tony DiNozzo were working their way through evidence boxes down in the garage in their quest to hunt down and capture The Reaper, aka William Shepard and, now, the FBI's most wanted criminal, Perfecto.

"I wouldn't say chasing, Agent Borin." Gibbs got to his feet.

"I need help with a case." She handed Gibbs the file from under her arm. "I've been requesting help from NCIS for over a week now. I hate it when my requests go unanswered."

At that moment, Gibbs' three agents emerged from their stint in the forensics garage.

"Agent Borin!" Tony was genuinely glad to see the CGIS agent. "Still around, I see."

Borin nodded towards DiNozzo. "Not going anywhere." Then she looked back at Gibbs. "Dr. Hature's been avoiding me. Where is she?"

Ziva and Tim exchanged a quick glance between them on their way to their desks. There was the slight tensing in Gibbs eyes at the mention of the doctor's name. They were on shallow ground with one another since the last case had Hach pointing Gibbs' SIG at him. Director Vance ordered them to stay away from one another unless absolutely necessary.

Gibbs looked to Agent Borin. "Avoiding you why?"

"Found three civilians shot on a boat in the harbor last week." Her eyes swept the Squad Room in case the doc came through. "No guns were found but we recovered three types of ammo casings. None of the victims were associated with any of the local drug cartels that we can find. What little evidence we have, our lab's down due to a burst water main. I could use the help, Gibbs."

Gibbs said without hesitation. "Get the evidence to Abby."

Borin nodded then veered off towards the lab. "Thanks, Gibbs."

Gibbs watched Borin leave the Squad Room with suspicion in his eyes. He knew she was holding something back. Gibbs decided it was time to leave his desk in pursuit of something a little more to his liking.

Tony, Tim, and Ziva watched Gibbs head for the elevator. No one said a word until Gibbs entered the elevator, the doors closed and their boss disappeared from the third floor. DiNozzo was already contemplating what the exchange meant.

Tim McGee made the first comment. "What was that about?"

Tony appeared genuinely concerned. "Borin asks Gibbs for help after she stated she was looking for the Little Doc." He paused clearly suspicious of Agent Borin's true interest in NCIS. "Something's up."

"What?" Ziva frowned. "Between Gibbs and Borin?"

"No." Tony shook his head. "Between our sweet Agent Borin and Dr. Hature. She could've gone through Vance to get our cooperation on a case." He hesitated. "That would've been easier. But why go through Gibbs instead?"

Ziva looked to Tim confused as to what that meant for them.

**Chapter Two**

The two Abby's stood side-by-side at the NCIS Forensics Laboratory computer workstation. CGIS Agent Borin glanced at the glass enclosure then back at Sciuto.

"Everyone's having water issues these days."

"It's only temporary." Abby Sciuto shrugged grimly. "It's to maintain the level of quality our Director of Forensics insists be maintained while repairs are made to the NCIS innards."

Borin appeared concerned for Sciuto's encounter with Perfecto. "Heard you barely got out alive."

"It was totally scary. But Gibbs saved me after Hach figured out the chemistry clue to where we were being held." Abby focused on running through the surveillance footage from the harbor but her mood was turned chipper now. "Ziva dove in after Ducky."

"Where is Dr. Hature?" Borin glanced at the glass enclosure leading into the Forensics Lab.

Abby shrugged but saddened her friend was not here. "She's been keeping a low profile lately." And continued lowering her voice. "She and Gibbs got into an argument."

Borin frowned. "She lost her temper?" Then shrugged. "She's usually so calm. I've never seen her lose it before."

Abby turned to Agent Borin at that moment. "Oh no, nothing like that! She pulled Gibbs' SIG on…well…Gibbs."

Borin was shocked. "And she lived?" Abby Sciuto nodded and suddenly her tension lifted off her shoulders. "Hach got one in on Gibbs?" Then she smirked. "That didn't go over very well with him, I bet."

Abby Sciuto shook her head 'no'. "Director Vance has them keeping their distance for the time being." She was already suspicious of Agent Borin's visit. "So, how do you know Hach?"

"We have a few mutual friends." Abby shrugged. "Met a few times at social functions. She doesn't care for my friends though."

Abby Sciuto smiled then. She found something else to talk about besides her run-in with Perfecto. This should prove to be fascinating for NCIS at least. And amazing that someone else knew about Hach too. Strange. Everyone knew Hach but no one spoke about her until she came to the Naval Yard.

**Chapter Three**

In the Squad Room, Abby Borin ran down the victims ID's with Tim McGee typing on his keyboard at his desk, Ziva David and Tony DiNozzo standing beside the CGIS agent at the plasma screen.

"Jacob Townsend was an accountant for a small up and coming biotechnology firm in Virginia. The second victim was identified as Jack Eden, a marketing exec from Tierney Global technologies. Our third victim is Kent Hunter. He was a former VP of Tierney Tech mainly in the global markets division. There's nothing to indicate that the three ever hung out together or even knew one another socially. All three were single, no girlfriend's and lived alone."

Tony noted. "It's certainly a puzzle."

Tim looked up from the computer. "This is odd."

Abby Borin turned to face McGee at his desk expectantly.

So Tim continued. "There were deposits made to the accounts of all three victims on the day after they were found in the harbor."

He pulled up the files on the large plasma screen. The documents shifted until three account sheets were side-by-side. One line was highlighted in yellow to show the deposits.

"Twenty-thousand each." Abby liked working with this NCIS team since they always got their information faster. "Any idea who made the deposits?"

Tim shook his head. "The encryption code suggests it's a 'government' source. It's going to take me a while to crack the code before I can tell where it's coming from."

Tony was unconvinced that the three were strangers. "They weren't working an 'ops' were they?"

"I checked every branch for undercover work." Abby shook her head. "Nothing. Everything I have points to all three being civilian."

"That you know of." Ziva offered. "If they were deep undercover, that could explain why they were found in the harbor."

Abby Borin knew what they were thinking. "I tapped a few reliable sources, myself. Nothing."

Tony folded his arms. "No wonder you need our help." He noted the roll of the Borin eyes. "Or are you fishing for something in our pond?"

Ziva and Tim glanced at Tony almost appalled at his blunt accusation.

Borin smirked. "You suspect me of something, Agent DiNozzo?"

Tony was unsure how he felt about the CGIS agent using NCIS. "You came looking for a connection. Is the Little Doc the only clue you have?"

"She's not the clue, Tony." Borin admitted openly. "She's the pathway."

Ziva felt her mouth gape at Agent Borin who shrugged then took a long drink from her coffee. Tim McGee was unsure how he felt about Abby Borin suggesting Hach was a suspect that would lead them to finding who killed the three 'civilian' men found dead on a small boat in a Virginia harbor.

**Chapter Four**

Borin stood in front of Director Vance's desk with Agent Gibbs at her side. He suspected she was after a clue that led her to NCIS. The CGIS agent failed to mention any details of her case upon finding her at his desk this morning.

Vance needed to be clear. "Dr. Hature can lead you to these men?"

"We both have an acquaintance." Abby took a breath. ""Lieutenant James Quinlan. He's the attaché to the Pentagon for the Navy. I've run into him a number of times but he knows I'm CGIS."

Vance showed no expression. "You want to use Hature as your access to Lt. Quinlan?"

Abby nodded. "She's got a hell'va reputation for keeping him in line. That and he's been chasing her socially for over a year."

Gibbs muffled a grunt at the idea.

Abby Borin ignored Gibbs and added. "Hach's wealth lures any number of desperate types to try getting on her good side. Which I hear is difficult."

Gibbs nodded in agreement but said nothing.

Vance was confused. "What do you want from NCIS?"

Abby shrugged. "Force Dr. Hature to help me out. She keeps avoiding me. She blocks my phone calls now. And she's resorted to not answering her front door."

Vance was unsure if he was amused by the request or appalled. "How long have you been trying?"

"Two weeks." Abby sighed. "Non-stop. I didn't want to bring you into this unless absolutely necessary." She paused. "It's become necessary."

Though Agent Borin's similar personality traits to Gibbs were uncanny at times, he thought the CGIS agent would have an easier time relating to Dr. Hature. Using NCIS to force Dr. Hature's hand was an odd request.

"You're in luck." Vance noted a light go on beneath the top of his desk. "Dr. Hature's on her way into NCIS as we speak."

**Chapter Five**

Director Vance eyed the two women now standing side-by-side in front of his desk. Gibbs stood next to the conference table to observe the exchange. Forcing Dr. Hature to aid CGIS in their investigation was not going as well as Borin hoped. Neither woman appeared to like the other for unspecified reasons. One preferred her lab, the other the thrill of field investigation. Yet they were well suited to solve this crime together.

"I told you 'no' before, Agent Borin." Hach disagreed with Director's Vance request. "Her intentions have no basis. The minute tether between Lt. Quinlan and your victims is miniscule at best. To attempt to pursue this line of investigation without more concrete evidence is dangerous for someone in Lt. Quinlan's position at the Pentagon."

Abby Borin put an arm around Dr. Hature. "That's why I need you to tell me how my victims know Lt. Quinlan. I'm just asking you to 'look' around for me."

"Have you tried asking Quinlan, yourself?" Hach knew the answer.

Abby shrugged and looked over Gibbs' head at the wall. "He's not very receptive to me."

Hach said evenly. "I wonder why."

Abby rolled her eyes. "I told you I refused his advances on account of my having actual standards."

Vance had a difficult time keeping a straight face. Yet Hach had no response to this comment by Agent Borin. He could tell Hach was allowing the wheels in her mind to churn. He looked to Gibbs.

"Agent Gibbs, your team is temporarily being assigned to aid Agent Borin in her investigation." He looked to Hach. "That includes you, Dr. Hature. Find the connection. If this goes all the way up the food chain, I want to know about it."

Hach suddenly turned cold as she turned towards the door and walked rigidly out of his office. Agent Borin nodded towards him and followed the doctor out. Gibbs waited till both women were gone and the door closed.

And asked openly. "What the hell was that about, Leon?"

Vance set his gaze on Gibbs. "There's more going on between those two than I'm led to believe."

Gibbs agreed. "They know each other all right." He noted Vance's stance. "You know Lt. Quinlan?"

Vance straightened. "Unfortunately." He turned towards the window. "Son-of-a-bitch is damn good at hiding his trail. We've been tracking his movements for the last year. FBI, CIA, DHS. We know he's up to something. We just don't know what yet."

Gibbs asked the question though he suspected the answer would be simple enough. "Where does Hature and Borin come in?"

Vance sighed. "Quinlan has a penchant for the ladies. The richer, the better."

"Dr. Hature would certainly be appealing to him." Gibbs knew Hach would never bother with someone like Quinlan.

Vance nodded. "She's been on his radar for some time now." He smirked as he turned to face Gibbs. "I want Quinlan to know Dr. Hature's trying to avoid aiding the investigation."

"Forcing Quinlan's hand?" Gibbs smirked at the idea. "Make him believe Borin's the bad cop?"

Leon was not above using someone to smoke out a weasel. "You're damn right." He leaned on his desk. "This is one bastard who won't slip through so easily this time. He'll know we're looking at him. You and your team keep on your toes."

Gibbs kept silent at that knowing what Leon wanted from his team.

**Chapter Six**

The Forensics Lab suddenly became the hottest social club since Director Vance called the meeting with Dr. Hature, CGIS and Gibbs. Tony DiNozzo and Ziva David stood watching Tim McGee and Abby Sciuto work on the evidence brought in by Abby Borin of CGIS.

Tim McGee did not see how this would work. "So, we think Dr. Hature is being set up as bait for this Quinlan guy?"

"Duh." Abby Sciuto agreed. "Why not?"

Tony smiled connivingly. "Of course, McClueless." He loved it when someone got set up to take someone in the Pentagon down. "She plays the reluctant partner, Quinlan might get close enough to see if he can squeak info from the Little Doc. If the Little Doc reels in Quinlan, we get closer to whatever he's dealing."

Tim rolled his eyes. "I got that, Tony." He frowned as his fingers tapped away on the computer keyboard running the clean-up software on the surveillance footage. "What I don't get is why Hach is being set up to lure the guy in."

"That's simple. It all comes down to money." Ziva offered. "She's got plenty of it and men like Quinlan want it."

"Because guys like Quinlan are drawn to money and power." Abby Borin stood in the entrance of the glass enclosure. "I'm never going to get used to this." She entered the lab as the others looked towards her. "Hach has money. And a level of genius few understand. He sees her as a never-ending resource in military applications and connections."

Abby Sciuto was appalled. "Hach doesn't like that stuff."

Abby Borin agreed. "No, she doesn't." She sighed then. "Nor will she ever understand that. Hach seems oblivious to her role here at NCIS."

Ziva wanted to know. "And that is?"

Abby Borin turned to face Ziva. "She's their golden goose. They lose Hach, NCIS is dead in the water. Her software, patents, and access alone is keeping the Navy afloat."

Tim nodded he agreed with that conclusion. "She's always creating the latest and greatest for the military. Medical applications as well."

Tony added. "She used to be an agent."

Borin swung around to face Tony. "No way!"

Tony smiled as he over dramatized his response. "Yeah way! Hach and Gibbs pretended to get married late last year to catch the Swastika Killer."

Abby Borin nodded. "I heard about that." She smiled. "How did Hach take it?"

Ziva offered. "No one died."

There was a chuckle from the lab.

**Chapter Seven**

Gibbs entered Autopsy and paused just inside the sliding double doors that closed behind him. He found Ducky sitting at his desk leafing through the files sent to him by Agent Borin. The box indicated they collected a thorough history of the victims.

Gibbs glanced at the empty examination tables. "The bodies haven't arrived yet?"

Ducky turned from his desk only to glance then returned to his task. "I'm told within the next few hours they should arrive." He paused and sighed. "Do you really think that by forcing Dr. Hature to play this little game, she'll be more likely to trust you, Jethro?"

"I don't care, Duck." Gibbs was irritated that NCIS seemed to guard Dr. Hature. "She's treated like a celebrity at NCIS."

That would bother Leroy Jethro Gibbs.

Duck smirked. "Does that bother you?"

Gibbs shrugged as he walked over to Ducky's desk. "Yeah. She's one person."

"Who contributes much to how NCIS operates." Ducky knew Jethro knew little of what Dr. Hature did at NCIS. "You see her as a Forensic scientist. Much like Abby Sciuto."

Gibbs only shrugged.

Ducky sighed and turned to face Jethro before he began. "She's the Director of Forensics at NCIS, Jethro. Her research keeps us on the leading edge of science. With her connections in military and commercial technology innovations, the multitude of equipment we rely on to do our jobs every day are donated to NCIS." Ducky eyed Jethro. "Which keeps our budgets intact."

That made Gibbs pause. "And?"

Ducky dropped his shoulders. "Abby Sciuto wouldn't be able to do her job without Dr. Hature's generous donations to NCIS." He agreed with Jethro on one thing. "While that doesn't warrant over looking when the doctor bends the rules, NCIS is less likely to bite the hand that's feeding it."

Gibbs only paused at that…seeing he was getting nowhere with this avenue of investigation, he turned from Ducky and left Autopsy.

**Chapter Eight**

Dr. Guinevere Hature sat at the conference room table stone faced and rigid. It was apparent that she did not wish to be here but her orders were clear from Director Vance. Any outward cause for the investigation to fail, she alone, would face the consequences. Interagency cooperation was something he wanted to improve at NCIS.

And her target took the bait without hesitation.

Dressed in his beige uniform with all of the decorations he acquired thus far, Lieutenant James Quinlan arrived for his interview at NCIS headquarters without worry. "Ah, Guinevere."

"It's Dr. Hature, Lieutenant." Hach corrected.

Her skin itched as Quinlan eyed her up and down while seated. Hach found this part of the game the most irritating. The man was more than 'dirty' when it came to covert operations. She could easily get the evidence they needed to nail Quinlan to the wall. But none of it could be used in a court of law. Why exactly did she have to be here when Quinlan was questioned again?

Gibbs walked into the Conference Room following the arrival of Lt. James Quinlan. He noted the look in Quinlan's eyes glancing from him to Hach. The Pentagon attaché certainly kept his attention on the women in the room. He occasionally looked towards Ziva David but clearly avoided Abby Borin. That avenue was dead. No wonder CGIS needed their help. It was clear to him that Hach was appalled by the Lieutenant's behavior.

"Hach?" Gibbs asked out of turn. "A word outside, please."

Hach was more than eager to play along though she wondered what was on the supervising agent's mind as she got to her feet. Quinlan was an unsavory type of power hungry fool common in Washington trying to work their way up the ladder. The kind she never bothered with since there was nothing behind his pretty face. Hach blinked when Gibbs slipped an arm gently around her waist and turned her towards the door. He leaned slightly down and whispered in her ear.

"Play along." Gibbs detected the faint scent of lavender on Hach this morning as he whispered.

Neither witnessed the expression on Quinlan's face but he heard the breath the Lieutenant sucked in as they left the Conference Room together. Ziva and Abby would question Quinlan for the formal interview.

Ziva watched Quinlan's response to Gibbs and Hature walking out of the Conference Room with a level of scrutiny she typically used only during stake-outs. His body language spoke volumes about his inner thoughts. There was the potential to force a face-off between Gibbs and Quinlan.

"What is Agent Gibbs relationship with Dr. Hature?" Quinlan asked evenly.

Ziva frowned as if she never gave it much thought before and lied to the attaché point-blank. "I know they've been friendly these past few weeks."

"I see." Quinlan wondered silently. "Has Agent Gibbs been aiding CGIS in their investigation long?"

Ziva continued her misinformation giving. "As I understand it, Dr. Hature has been aiding CGIS for the last week. Although reluctantly. Agent Gibbs only became aware of the investigation three days ago. He's the lead on the NCIS side of things."

Abby Borin added. "NCIS doesn't seem interested in pursuing it any further."

"Then why am I here?" Quinlan wanted to know glancing between the female CGIS and NCIS agents.

"Formal verification of information." Ziva smiled sweetly. "We're determining if there's a crime involving members of the Navy at this time." She took out three photos of Townsend, Eden and Hunter. "We'd like to eliminate suspects quickly."

Quinlan nodded he understood the formality.

However, Ziva sensed he was more concerned with Hach and Gibbs. Was he judging whether the moment between the Gibbs and Hach was more than just camaraderie between man and woman? Quinlan stared at the photos but did not mention them at all.

**Chapter Nine**

Gibbs kept his arm around Hach until they got down the hall and around the corner. Once out of sight of the Conference Room door, Hach wriggled free from him. She turned to face Agent Gibbs annoyed at his motive. She kept her voice down to keep unwanted ears from hearing their conversation.

Hach disliked being used as female 'bait'. "Do you really think Quinlan will believe there is any possibility of 'our' being together? This tactic will not work with him."

Gibbs challenged. "You sure, doc?"

Hach felt positive. "Concretely."

Gibbs took two steps towards Dr. Hature who matched his steps backwards, finding the wall at her back. He lowered his face close to hers.

"Quinlan wants you, doc." He allowed his eyes to meet hers. "Anyone can see it in his eyes, in his mannerisms towards you. You represent something important to him."

Hach was not to be intimidated and shot back. "What exactly?"

At that moment Ziva came around the corner and paused at the sight of Gibbs with Hach against the wall before her. Hach appeared angry but her expression was almost blank as she side stepped the supervising agent and straightened her clothing. It was clear that Gibbs wanted to provoke Hach. Just as before during the Swastika Case, Ziva felt the pair were a good match though neither would agree. They were total opposites after all. It took some nerve to keep from smirking at seeing them together in such close proximity. If someone came upon them in the hall as she did, unaware of their history, they might suspect they intruded on an intimate moment.

"It seems Quinlan's worried you have her attention, Gibbs." She nodded towards Hach. "Socially anyway. He's clearly obsessed with Dr. Hature."

Gibbs noted Hach's expression. "He ask anything in particular?"

"He's certainly not one to hide his intentions." Ziva lifted her chin. "Neither did he want to help us with answering questions either. He wanted to know the nature of your relationship with Hach. Quinlan was very direct. He claims he didn't know the three victims. I could tell he was lying. The mention of the harbor seemed to catch his attention more than how the victims died. Played it off as if he only knew the story from the evening news."

Hach narrowed her eyes and walked off down the hall. She had enough of this farce. Since Agent Borin burned her ties with Quinlan last year, now the CGIS agent was using her to get closer to the Lieutenant. If Agent Gibbs wanted to bait Lt. Quinlan into believing they were 'together', he was alone. She missed the smile on Gibbs face as she left.

"Guess the doc didn't like my plan."

Agent Borin came around the corner. "But it sure as hell worked." She smiled at Ziva. "Quinlan's taken our bait. He knows we're looking into him."

Though no one really knew what that meant at the moment. Quinlan covered his tracks well when he made deals. But who his clientele were and the number of them remained unknown at this time. If Dr. Hature could help them out in that area, NCIS would be able to bring him down.

**Chapter Ten**

Gibbs returned to the Squad Room in a good mood for once, forgetting his coffee in the Conference Room. Any method to keep Hach off kilter was good in his book. The mysterious nature of Dr. Hature was beginning to unravel before him. She was not as complicated as some made her out to be.

"Boss." Tony got to his feet behind his desk. "We have a problem."

Gibbs only glared at Tony.

"Sorry to keep you waiting." Tony winced he hesitated too long. "NCIS requested the bodies of the three victims be transferred from CGIS for further investigation. However, the bodies are missing from the morgue."

Gibbs replied. "Where did they go?"

"They were logged in during the investigation and the autopsies were performed on a rush basis according to the CGIS records." Tony turned to stone. "I have the files on the three victims. However, the bodies never made it to NCIS."

"Let Agent Borin know." Gibbs knew there was more to this story than Borin informed him.

"Let me know what?" Abby Borin asked coming from the elevator carrying two coffees.

She handed one to Gibbs who accepted it freely.

Tony straightened. "Bodies of the three victims are gone from the morgue when NCIS arrived to retrieve them from CGIS."

Abby Borin said nothing but she immediately turned back towards the elevator to leave pulling out her cellphone. Tony looked to Gibbs who took a long drink from his coffee. He intended to say nothing but smiled.

Tony agreed. "I wouldn't want to be them either, boss."

**Chapter Eleven**

Abby Sciuto was amazed CGIS got anywhere with the evidence that was collected from the scene. There was nothing here to go on. The tiny tether linking Lt. Quinlan to Jake Townsend would never stand up in a court of law. And now Hach was distancing herself from the investigation.

At that moment, Gibbs walked through the glass enclosure and into the Forensics Lab. Abby paused to face him shocked he was there.

"I don't have anything concrete, Gibbs."

Gibbs paused. "I know."

Abby stared at him curiously. "Then why are you here?"

He shrugged. "Something to do. Anything on the surveillance?"

"Ok." Abby was cautious. "The video's too grainy. I'm still trying to narrow down when the boat first appeared in the harbor. As far as I can tell, the boat drifted into the harbor sometime around four am. If there was a second boat pulling it along, nothing was recorded and they left nothing behind as evidence of being tied together. Then again, NCIS didn't do the evidence collection."

"The case is thin at best, Abs." Gibbs had something else on his mind at the moment.

"Tell me about it." Abby agreed. "It's like we've been given the minimum and expected to solve the crime with nothing."

Gibbs paused at the possibility.

"The bullet casings are still going through my de-fragmentation program." Abby sighed at the uselessness she felt at the moment. "Once the reconstructions are done, I'll call you. Other than the bullets, photos of the blood spatter, and footprints in blood, they've got nothing. I'm checking cellphone records for all three victims to see what I can find there."

"You okay Abs?"

She pondered the question then nodded.

Gibbs hugged her closely. "You should've taken more time off after our run-in with Perfecto."

"It's not that." Abby hated staying home for long periods of time. "I don't like it that you and Hach aren't getting along at the moment."

Gibbs smirked. "I'm working on it."

Abby Sciuto cheered at the thought of Hach and Gibbs getting along again. Gibbs knew Abby would misinterpret his meaning. He intended to make sure Hach knew exactly what he was up to in the coming days. But not for the reason Abby might think.

**Chapter Twelve**

Gibbs once again entered Autopsy to find Ducky sitting at his desk surrounded by photos from the crime scene and the autopsy files on the three victims. There was little to go on since the evidence collected was thin to begin with. Ducky appeared to be in better spirits this afternoon.

Gibbs walked up to the desk. "How you doing, Duck?"

"Fine, fine, Jethro." There was little to go on. "It seems that our friends at the morgue were more than stupid."

That made Gibbs pause. "How's that?"

"Their estimated TOD is clearly wrong." Ducky motioned towards the top photo of the second victim. "From the hemorrhaging just below the skin around Mr. Townsend's hands, this man died a full day before he was found floating in the harbor. Additional bruising on the neck, wrists, ankles, and torso suggest all of these men were tortured before death."

"Tortured?" Gibbs found that piece of information useful.

"Yes." Ducky sighed. "Quite extensively. It seems that we've been given a rather pointless case, Jethro. If CGIS is handling the investigation, I suspect Agent Borin wouldn't allow such sloppy work to go unaccounted for."

"Are the autopsies fake?"

Ducky shook his head. "Not that I can tell at this stage. These victims in the photos are real. However, I fear that the investigation is not what it seems. CGIS is chasing something other than the death of these three men." He huffed softly. "The doctor who actually performed the autopsies however should be reprimanded for such atrocities to the dead."

Gibbs nodded he understood and was about to leave.

"How is Dr. Hature taking the news about being in your cross hairs once again?"

Gibbs looked at Ducky curiously.

Ducky smiled. "One hears things these days." He paused and continued. "You seem overly fascinated by our resident genius, Jethro. One might wonder if you've been given specific orders."

His voice low, Gibbs responded. "It's not like that, Duck."

Ducky was not to be pacified this time. "What is it like then?" Gibbs said nothing. "I've never seen you take an interest in anyone at NCIS like this before."

Gibbs found he had no explanation he was willing to share.

Ducky knew what that meant. "I worry you won't like what you find."

"If I find anything." Gibbs left Autopsy after that.

…TO BE CONTINUED…


	47. Episode 16: Ship and the Lighthouse P2

**NCIS Season 9**

**Episode 9.16.2**

**THE SHIP AND THE LIGHTHOUSE**

**By: Lady JenDragon**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own the NCIS characters as seen on the TV but I've added my own characters.

**Author's Notes: **…

* * *

**The Ship and the Lighthouse**

**Part Two**

**Chapter Thirteen**

Abby Borin followed Dr. Hature from NCIS to her condo in DC keeping about half a block back to avoid detection. She found the doctor to be a most interesting subject. Despite her small form, she commanded a presence few leaders possessed. Guinevere Hature was a woman with fascinating depths. She heard the passenger door open and Gibbs slid in beside her.

"You had the bodies removed from the morgue." Gibbs stated softly. "Why?"

"They were hijacked sometime between the time they were removed from the harbor to arriving at the CGIS morgue." Borin chose her words carefully. "We didn't want the info to leak out that CGIS lost the victims. Someone didn't want us to complete the autopsies on the victims. My supervisor agreed with me that we should work with NCIS to find the bodies since your resources are better tuned to find them than ours. I've requested tracking of the victims cellphone usage for over a week. I've gotten nothing as a result. Also, I wanted to take Quinlan's eyes off CGIS and focus on NCIS. If he thinks Dr. Hature's helping the investigation, maybe he'll play his cards differently."

"Why does Quinlan want Hature?"

"Money, power." Abby kept her eyes on Dr. Hature and said jokingly. "What all men in Washington want." She turned serious. "Quinlan's got ties to Global Technologies. The same company she's got fingers in. We've been looking at Quinlan for five years since he took up the attaché post at the Pentagon. In less than a year, he replaced Admiral Jordan."

Gibbs spoke his thought out loud. "He's only a Lieutenant."

"Bingo." Abby nodded. "Some say he had the Admiral removed from his duties. He owns four properties and we know he has a Camaro hidden in the garage of his parent's DC house. He's making bank from something. There's more going on behind the scenes we're not seeing. We know he's making all kinds of deals, but the bastard covers his tracks well. And no one's talking to anyone."

Gibbs smirked. "You think Hature already knows what he's up to."

"She has the dirt on most of Congress." Abby felt sure there was more. "He's got to be in there too."

"What do you want from me?" Besides cooperation he thought.

"Help me catch this bastard." Borin sighed deeply. "We have to make it stick, Gibbs."

"You sure Quinlan's involved?"

Borin nodded. "We think Townsend was his personal accountant. His working for a small company was the perfect cover to hide mounds of cash flowing in and out of the Pentagon. We discovered two possible offshore accounts last year and have been tracking deposits and withdrawals since. Townsend knew Kent Hunter and Jack Eden. They've been friends since childhood."

"Townsend got his friends involved after they got out of the Navy." Gibbs saw the connection now. "His friends were accounting and global markets."

Borin knew Gibbs would catch on quickly. "Best way to hide money."

"Make it look legit." Gibbs wondered. "Where's the money coming from?"

Abby Borin sighed frustrated. "We haven't been able to track it. His emails from his home are encrypted. Thus far, I haven't been able to nail down the code. No one I've gone to can crack it."

"And Hature?" Gibbs wanted to know what Borin knew.

"She'll crack the code eventually." Abby sighed knowing Hach kept her nose clean. "She won't get involved because she knows Quinlan's dirty. Which means she has to know what he's up to and how he's doing it."

"You think she's been tracking him." Gibbs smiled then shrugged.

"Hell yeah." Abby nodded. "I've hung out in the same social circles enough to know her style. She has ways of discovering secrets. I'm pretty sure they're not legal."

Gibbs said nothing to that.

Abby asked off subject. "You like her?"

Gibbs played dumb. "Who?"

"Hature." She paused realizing his ploy. "Or is the jury still out on her yet?"

Gibbs said nothing.

Abby leaned her head slightly sideways and looked over at Gibbs. "You're pulling that with me, Gibbs? I'm insulted."

Gibbs said nothing but refused to look over at Agent Borin. After a moment, she smiled then took a long drink of her ever-present coffee. Gibbs copied her and they sat in silence.

**Chapter Fourteen**

Ducky sat at his desk pondering his next move when suddenly two NCIS agents and Tony DiNozzo walked through the door. Between them they carried a black body bag and set it on the center table. Two more body bags were brought in by other NCIS agents and placed on the other examination tables.

"Anthony DiNozzo, what have you brought me today?"

"Miss Sciuto sent me a text she found Townsend's cellphone in Virginia." Tony glanced at the agents leaving. "Thanks guys!" He focused on Ducky once more. "Turns out, the bodies were dumped in a quarry. No signs of an autopsy were performed."

Ducky appeared alarmed. "No Y-incisions?"

Tony shook his head. "None that we could find." He did not like the way this case was heading. "It seems someone hijacked the bodies from CGIS after all. The autopsies were faked."

Ducky huffed. "Good thing Abby Sciuto's on our side."

Jimmy Palmer strolled into Autopsy at that moment and halted at the sight of the three body bags. Tony DiNozzo left the room and nodded towards Jimmy. However, Jimmy almost appeared giddy at the prospect of three victims. However, he paused to look at Ducky for confirmation.

"Gear up my boy." Ducky headed towards the center examination table irritated. "We have a lot of work to do." He was clearly angry. "Autopsies indeed!"

Which meant the photos sitting on his desk were faked or from another autopsy. Agent Borin would have to answer for this.

**Chapter Fifteen**

Ziva sat across from Major Marjorie Smith, Army assistant to Lieutenant Quinlan. Her blonde hair was well kept in the required hair-style under her hat. She appeared serene and calm with her uniform starched into place. She could be the poster woman for the Navy.

She did not allow her visual observations to linger. "How long have you worked for Lt. Quinlan?"

Major Smith was a very straight-an-an-arrow kind of woman. "Just over six months."

"In that time, have you ever seen him do anything out of the scope of his job?"

Marjorie paused to consider the question. "No. His job is quite simple. The area is to remain secure at all times and no one leaves with any files. I know he goes to lunch with several admirals every once in a while. I believe he's making a name for himself at the Pentagon."

"For what purpose?"

"I'm sure he's looking for a way to move up." Marjorie smiled. "Most of them are ambitious enough to want to move onto greener jobs at the Pentagon."

"Has he ever taken time off?"

"Not as far as I know." She paused trying to remember. "He's never been sick during my six months there."

"Did you ever meet Rachel June?" Ziva watched the woman closely.

Marjorie shook her head 'no'. "The name doesn't ring a bell."

"She was the former assistant to Lt. Quinlan." Ziva scanned her notes. "She's still listed as missing. Did you find it odd that you were brought in for this position, someone from the Army, and not someone from the Navy?"

"Yes." Marjorie shrugged. "At the time I didn't question it since I was told it was only a temporary assignment. Maybe nine months at the farthest outset. I was hoping to find something in Washington to be closer to my boyfriend in the meantime. He also works at the Pentagon."

"And who is Quinlan's CO?"

"Lt. Commander James Edens." She smiled at the name. "He thinks very highly of Quinlan."

Ziva got the hint of resentment. "But you don't?"

Marjorie hesitated. "He's not exactly the most observant when it comes to details. I did an overhaul of the books. I went over the detail who checks files in and out, for the last seven years. There's plenty of down time between file requests. There were a lot of mistakes I found. I let my CO know about the inaccuracies but I was easily dismissed as being too harsh. I have a degree in accounting so I understand the ethics of keeping accurate records, Agent David."

"You strike me as the type who takes pride in your work."

"I do." Marjorie appeared annoyed at the dismissal of her investigation. "I don't want any of the mistakes to come down on me so I reported them. I filed them with Lt. Commander Edens. I also kept a copy of the filing at my home just in case it got lost."

"If you could give us a copy of that file, we would appreciate it." Ziva smiled when Marjorie Smith nodded. "We'll look into it discreetly." She stood up with Marjorie. "Lt. Quinlan won't know that we're checking the books."

Marjorie appeared demure. "Thank you." Then she sighed. "That will take a lot of worry off me. I just know they'll try to blame me for the mistakes."

"Thank you for your time." Ziva was unsure how to take Marjorie Smith.

However, the woman was the least of her problems. If there were mistakes in the books, Tim should be able to find them easily enough. Her other thought, what happened to the previous assistant?

**Chapter Sixteen**

Gibbs arrived at the Squad Room to find his team assembled.

"I found the three missing victims." Tony pointed towards the plasma that came alive through Tim's handling of the keyboard. "Abby traced Jake Townsend's cellphone. Whoever killed them left it in his pocket." He paused. "Or didn't know about it. Doesn't appear that autopsies were performed."

Gibbs would let that slide for the moment.

Ziva took over then. "I asked Major Marjorie Smith to come in, Quinlan's assistant, for questioning. She's been his assistant for the last six months. The previous assistant is still missing after almost a year. Petty Officer Rachel June went missing in October of last year following an argument with Lt. Quinlan. He was questioned but nothing came of it. The case is considered cold. Her husband's still hoping for news."

No one mentioned that the case of missing Petty Officer Rachel June would have been their case had they not been working The Reaper case.

Tim appeared deflated. "Still no luck tracing who deposited the money into the three victims accounts. I haven't been able to track anything down outside of these accounts linking them to anything that might indicate money laundering."

Gibbs realized his team was ahead of him for once. "Any idea what Quinlan might be doing illegally?"

Tim piped up to offer one avenue of investigation. "Lt. Quinlan works in the basement storage room of the Logistics Department. It's a storage area for old unsolved fraud cases for the CIA, FBI and DHS."

Tony added. "He could be selling off copies of the files."

Gibbs pondered for a moment. "Any of the accounting firms associated in any way with the CIA, FBI or DHS?"

Tim shook his head. "Nothing."

Ziva stood up. "Quinlan's CO is Lt. Commander James Edens. It seems he has a history of gambling. It got to the point the wife divorced him. She's a lawyer over in Bethesda. No children. However, she got shafted and has to pay him alimony. It seems he's been hanging around two recently widowed women. Jackie Kent and Chelsea Hunter. Both are very rich women. Their husbands were tied to companies who do business with the military. They are also the mothers of two of our victims."

Tony glanced around. "Where's Agent Borin? Normally she's around for this part."

Ziva and Tim glanced around.

Gibbs did not care. He had a bone to pick with her later. He knew how to find her when he was ready to confront her. Right now, they needed to piece together what the hell this case was about and catch the killer. So far, the case was all over the damn place.

"Bring in Edens." Gibbs wanted Quinlan and Edens ruffled to see what happened.

**Chapter Seventeen**

Ducky turned just as Gibbs walked into Autopsy. The elderly medical examiner seemed pleased with his work. Perhaps something came out of the fact that CGIS did not perform the autopsies after all. Still, he had many questions to ask Agent Borin.

"Ah." Ducky finished drying his hands. "I was wondering when you were going to get here."

Gibbs paused at that. "What have you got?"

"It seems that our victims were all shot in close proximity to one another."

Gibbs wondered out loud. "As in they shot one another?"

Ducky paused. "Quite possibly. I've given all my measurements to Abby and Hach for reconstruction of the crime scene. You'll need to figure how and what exactly transpired just prior to death. The three were most certainly beaten just before they were shot. All of their bruises and scrapes indicate a brawl before they died."

Gibbs pondered. "You think they were forced to shoot one another to make it appear that they killed one another?"

"Could be." Ducky found the evidence suspicious. "Only one of the victims appeared to have survived being shot. Mr. Kent Hunter survived long enough to remain awake for a short time. Whoever was waiting for them to die, finished him off with a kick to the head. The boot tread was indented on the back of his head. I estimate a size twelve." Ducky looked to the end victim. "He bled out through his nose."

Gibbs said nothing. "TOD?"

"Oh, roughly twelve hours before they were found in the harbor." Ducky sighed. "The one thing CGIS did right at the crime scene. Take their temperature and record it in their report." He lost his humor. "However, the gross negligence for the treatment of the dead is distasteful, to say the least, Jethro."

He looked up to find Jethro gone.

"Just as I figured." Ducky sighed.

**Chapter Eighteen**

Hach stood with Abby Sciuto staring at the records of the three victims on the plasma screen. Several photos of the crime scene were placed side-by-side. Each forensic scientist carefully scrutinized each photo for anything previously missed.

Abby whispered. "Borin's not being completely honest with us is she?"

Hach nodded without taking her eyes off the screen. "She's after something with Quinlan." Her eyes found nothing unusual.

"What could that be, doc?" Gibbs asked strolling into the Forensics Lab.

Abby turned to greet Gibbs happily.

Hach narrowed her eyes that she was forced to play nice with Gibbs for the time being. His hearing appeared to be acute as ever since he heard their whispering. The acoustics in the lab were exemplary for carrying sound vibrations. However, she felt dealing with him was better than dealing with Borin. Strange that the CGIS agent was MIA, Hach noted. NCIS was only supposed to be helping with the investigation, not running it.

"Ducky sent over his measurements." Abby pointed towards the plasma screen for the demonstration. "We see that the men were shot at close range, each with a different caliber gun. Ducky was right on that. What we can't account for is the size twelve boot tread to the back of Kent's head."

On the screen, the three victim figures stood arranged in a small circle. Each one pointed a small caliber pistol at one of the others. Each one fired at the same time, each causing wounds to the other. However, where the bullet hit Kent did not kill him instantly. A boot with the measured size kicked the victim in the back of the head where he bled out through the nose.

Abby glanced over at Hach remaining silent throughout the presentation. "Ducky found the broken blood vessels in the nose where Kent bled out. If he hadn't been beaten prior to being kicked in the head, he might have survived."

"So someone staged it to appear like they committed suicide." Gibbs wondered why CGIS could have missed this so easily. "Dr. Hature, come with me."

"Where?" Hach would refuse to go if was in anyway non-work related.

"We need to ask Agent Borin a few questions."

Hach lifted her chin. "I would be more than happy to help you in that regard, Agent Gibbs."

Something was off about this investigation.

**Chapter Nineteen**

The two-lane road circumvented the harbor surrounded on both sides by tall grasses three feet at most. Most vehicles were visible along the main portion of the road. There were no trees growing between the road and the industrial warehouses associated with the old slips when the harbor had seen brighter days. This portion of the harbor was no longer in use and many warehouses sat vacant. The water front area was scheduled for renovations by the city that never came.

The tight bend in the road would limit visibility if someone wanted a secluded meeting. The main road was hardly used except for the locals who knew the shortcut across town through here. Gibbs stopped the car at Hach's indication just past the curve in the road. He got out of the car first, checking for anyone or anything left on the side of the road. Nothing.

Hach opened her door following her GPS device with the coordinates, swinging left to right and back again in slow motion. "Her cellphone is located in this general area. I am trying to fix on it now. Battery's almost dead."

Hach located Borin's cellphone on the four feet from the road near the beginning of the bend. She picked up the small silver flip with a gloved hand noticing nothing other than it was flipped shut. It appeared that the phone was disposed of in an attempt to throw off her investigation. Did the person she come to meet not know that NCIS was working with CGIS and involved with the investigation?

"Damn." Gibbs breathed walking up to Hach holding the phone.

"We can confirm Agent Borin of CGIS is currently missing." Hach checked the call history. "I can run the phone's GPS back at the lab to give you her whereabouts up until she disappeared. But, the call this morning to CGIS indicates that she was taken sometime after 10am. The only calls after that time were incoming."

"She was here to meet someone." Gibbs glanced around at the vacant warehouses.

"Are we to assume she's alive until further notice?" Hach inquired.

Gibbs glanced around the deserted roadway next to the harbor. He pulled out his phone and found the person he wanted to call and hit the green 'call' button.

"Yeah." And nodded then talked into his phone. "DiNozzo." Gibbs surveyed around them then stopped to study Hach playing with the phone. "Agent Borin is missing. We found her phone near the harbor. Contact CGIS to find out if anyone knew where she was going or if she was meeting a contact."

Hach completed her initial assessment of the cellphone. No more could be done until she got it back to Abby Sciuto. The young lady would be more than happy to run the data since her recent encounter with Perfecto nearly killed her. Abby was afraid to go home most nights and often slept at the lab under her desk on an air mattress.

"What do you have on Quinlan?" Gibbs knew to take advantage of this moment. "Why does he want you so damn bad?"

Hach frowned then shrugged. "I do not understand."

"You're a genius, figure it out." Gibbs noted her sudden rigid behavior at the mention of Quinlan's name. "Quinlan believes you offer him something. What is it?"

Hach sighed. "Vanity seems to be the simplest form of arrogance with Lt. Quinlan. I would be nothing more than a means to an end. I offer military contacts, technology, in addition to millions in additional research at my fingertips. My position at NCIS affords me an endless supply of information beneficial to his schemes."

If he gauged the meaning the doctor implied correctly, Gibbs would keep it simple. "Do you have information we can use to bring Quinlan down?"

Hach considered the impact of her response. "Nothing legal."

Gibbs grabbed her by the arm and escorted Hach back to the car. "Let's make it legal then." He paused and took out his cellphone. "While we find Agent Borin."

**Chapter Twenty**

Tony DiNozzo closed his cellphone after getting his orders from Gibbs. This was not happy news. And here he thought things were progressing so smoothly. Tony glared at Ziva standing by Tim McGee's desk running over financials of the victims.

Tony turned solemn. "Agent Borin's missing."

Both Ziva and Tim stopped what they were doing to look at Tony. They appeared perplexed that the CGIS agent had gone missing without anyone noticing until now. How did they miss that? Ziva moved to her desk to answer the phone as it rang.

Tim had a better question. "So, what was she doing there to begin with? Was she meeting a source? Or was she following a lead?"

Ziva set down her phone. "That was her boss. Hach called CGIS to let them know their agent is missing. No one knew why Agent Borin was heading out towards the harbor along that stretch of road. Gibbs and Hach are bringing her cell in to scan her last known movements."

Tony sighed. "Great."

Tim sighed. "Looks like Edens is missing too."

Ziva and Tony looked towards McGee.

"His wife just filed a missing persons report an hour ago." Tim squinted at the screen. "Eight days now. At first he was listed as being on a trip to Boston for a conference. But the wife checked the hotel he was to be staying at and he never checked in. I've got a BOLO out on his vehicle now. A blue Buick Regal. DC license plate LGN 4378."

Tony smirked. "The plot thickens."

Ziva stepped forward. "Quinlan's not doing this alone. He's got someone to take people out." She paused sure of herself. "Whoever he is, he's our killer."

Tony agreed. "Quinlan's not the type to get his hands dirty. We get the henchman. We get the henchman to talk. Then we nail Quinlan."

Tim smirked and picked up his phone. "So let's find out who 'he' is."

"And where do you suggest we start?" Tony noted the action. "Who're calling, McSmarty?"

Tim smiled back. "1-800-Henchmen to see if they're missing anyone."

Tony lost his smile, glaring at McGee.

**Chapter Twenty-One**

In Forensics, Gibbs stood next to Hach as she brought up a file she kept on a separate USB drive. Abby watched from Mass Spec as the two seemed to be getting along for the moment. Investigations typically united the pair who seemed to think they preferred to disagree. In actuality, Abby thought they operated well together. It was then Tim, Tony, and Ziva arrived to join the party.

Hach operated the plasma with speed and precision even Abby Sciuto could love. Files opened and pictures, documents and lists were opened at lightning speeds. Gibbs and Hach did not notice the crowd forming by the Mass Spectrometer as they worked.

"I found his off shore account months ago after a third pass was made during a conference in Honolulu." Hach already knew Lt. James Quinlan far too well. "It took some finessing, however, I found more than just accounts. However, we shall start there. He has six million dollars sitting in the account. The last distributed funds were four weeks ago but the location is encrypted. He is selling the cold case files to the highest bidder."

Tim asked from behind. "Why cold case files?"

Gibbs turned to face Tim McGee find his team waiting with Abby Sciuto.

"These are fraud cases." Ziva pointed out. "Large accounts and off shore accounts. Cases that never made it to trial. They've been waiting for new evidence to move the case forward."

Tony noted the file and trial names. "A number of cases link with a few international arms dealers, some corporations, and the L12." He paused to add." There are a lot of people who wouldn't mind getting their hands on those files in that room. And they're willing to pay a premium to get them."

Tim was cautious about projecting motive instead asking it as a question. "Townsend, Eden and Hunter were in it with Quinlan until he kills all three of them?"

"Actually no." Abby stepped forward. "While you were all out and about, I finished running through the victims hard drives from their computers. It appears Townsend, Eden and Hunter figured out how Quinlan was selling off the info. They just happened to come across a piece of paper lying on the ground one night. Townsend scanned it into his computer and set his friends off on collecting information. With their connections, it was easy to put two and two together."

Tony was unsure of their motive. "We're they going to blackmail Quinlan?"

Abby Sciuto shook her head. "No. According to what I found on Hunter's hard drive, they were prepping a package to the DC District Attorney's office."

Tony sighed. "They couldn't be bought off so Quinlan had to find a way to cross them off."

Gibbs looked to Abby. "Where's the file Hunter amassed?"

"They must have moved it." Abby Sciuto smiled. "It's not on any of the hard drives. They must have known Quinlan might come after them once they were onto his electronic trail. Also, it seems Quinlan planted the deposits in the accounts of Townsend, Eden and Hunter to make it appear they were part of the scheme. I called in a favor and found Quinlan likes to go by Mr. Maurice Poppy on his international bank accounts. Then he tries to romance the recent widowed mothers of Eden and Hunter to try to keep their sons from talking."

"When that didn't work." Tony felt squeamish at the idea. "He invited them on a boat ride and killed all three of them."

Tim rolled his eyes. "But why get on a boat with the guy you're trying to put away?"

"Unless it was his henchman that did it." Tony surmised. "Befriends the three guys. He invites them out for a joy ride one day then offs them. They probably never knew Quinlan sent him."

Ziva was amazed anyone pieced this together. "His assistant, Rachel June probably found Quinlan making copies of the files one night and suddenly she disappears."

"Any luck into finding out who investigated that case?" Gibbs looked to Ziva.

"Jones and his team while we were on The Reaper case." Ziva nodded and continued. "They followed every lead that came in. But nothing came of any of those. Quinlan hides well. The trail went cold in three days. No tracks, no evidence, nothing. It's estimated she was taken at work. Her car was left in the parking lot with the driver door unlocked, keys in the ignition. There's no surveillance in the lot where she was taken."

Gibbs stared at the screen. "We're missing something."

Yet he sensed it.

**Chapter Twenty-Two**

In the Squad Room, Agent Gibbs sat behind his desk wondering what they were missing. The information was beginning to come forward but it was mere speculation. Dr. Hature had illegal files that somehow needed to be verified through legal channels. Their best leads were currently illegal. They had Quinlan's international accounts now and Abby Sciuto was watching for any transactions that occurred. But that was minimal.

Gibbs looked to his agents working silently at their desk looking for any clues. There was the missing assistant and now Quinlan's CO. Something was not adding up.

He looked up to find an older woman staring at him from across his desk. "Are you, Agent Gibbs?"

She wore a beige trenchcoat. Her features were round and soft with green eyes. Blonde hair hung around her beautiful, yet aging face. The expensive perfume indicated she was here on business.

He stared at the woman. "What can I do for you?"

"Constance Edens." She stretched out a hand towards the agent. "Lt. Commander James Edens wife." She paused at a painful memory. "Well, ex-wife."

Gibbs got to his feet and paused. "What brings you to NCIS?"

The woman made no attempt to shake hands, only nodding towards the agent.

"Please call me, Connie." Her white expensive purse hung on her right arm. "My ex-husband was supposed to be at a conference up in Boston over a week ago for work. Despite being divorced, we've remained close friends. He doesn't do well alone most of the time. So I keep tabs on him. When he didn't check into his hotel, I called his cellphone. It went straight to voicemail. He never puts it on voicemail unless there's something wrong. That was our cue if something went awry. I know something's happened to him."

Gibbs stood up behind his desk. "We'll look into it immediately."

Tim looked up from his screen at that moment. "On it, boss." He motioned for Mrs. Edens to approach him. "I'll need the number to trace his cellphone."

She pulled out a small square paper from her purse front pocket, already had it written down, and walked over to hand the number to McGee.

"My ex-husband has a gambling problem, Agent Gibbs." She shook her head. "Normally, I'm aware of his exploits. But lately he's been acting paranoid. Overly paranoid, even for him. I know bookie's have come looking for him every once in a while. But this was different than his normal behavior. Now that he's missing, I'm concerned it's more than just a coincidence."

Tim added. "I've a BOLO out on his car. No hits yet."

"You think there's foul play involved?" Gibbs noted the uneasy stance of Connie Edens.

"Yes." Connie nodded. "Since my husbands been at the Pentagon, he hears things. He's a good man Agent Gibbs despite his gambling habit. He never once complained or caused problems. When he heard rumors, he would tell me the stories when he came home. He wondered if he was breaking the law when he heard stuff so he asked a lot of questions. I'm a real estate lawyer not a criminal lawyer. So I didn't know much in that regard but I can figure things out quickly enough. When Lt. Quinlan began working for him in his department, things began change."

"How so?" Gibbs realized there maybe more to the story of James Edens.

"James stopped coming home on time." She sighed. "James called Quinlan by his middle name, Taggert. Or 'Tag' most of the time. He would stay at work till all hours of the night."

"Are you aware that Rachel June is missing?"

"James was devastated when we heard the news." Connie placed a hand over her heart. "Rachel spent many evenings at our home and at our parties. Her husband is such a wonderful man. They were a close office until Quinlan was stationed there. She came to us one night seven months ago disturbed by something. James took her into the study to discuss the issue."

Gibbs wondered. "He left you out of it on purpose?"

Connie nodded. "He said in order to protect me, I wasn't allowed to know anything." She frowned remembering the hurt she felt at the sudden declaration. "Three days later, he filed for divorce."

Tony looked to Gibbs.

Tim stood up. "Boss, hit on the Buick Regal just came back."

Gibbs nodded towards Tim in acknowledgement.

"This was the only clue James left me, Agent Gibbs." Mrs. Edens placed a key on the desk in front of Gibbs.

Tim, Ziva and Tony were in the process of grabbing their field bags.

Gibbs stated picking up the key examining it, reading the etching of 'Crawley' on the backside metal of the key. "Ziva with me."

There were no other distinction on the key to identify where the key belonged.

**Chapter Twenty-Three**

The BOLO returned an abandoned car found half submerged in a pond outside a small rural Virginia town matching the description of the blue Buick Regal and license plate of Lieutenant Commander James Edens. Tony and Tim were first on scene, with exception of the local LEO's who first responded to the call, followed by Ducky and Palmer.

Tim stared at the report. "Call came in around 10am." He scrolled through the report. "Jogger in the area spotted the back taillight poking through the cattails."

"Nice." Tony glanced around the area. "Certainly is secluded enough when you want to get rid of something."

"What's bugging you, Tony?" Tim heard the tone in the voice and knew something was off. "You've been quiet lately."

Tony sighed. "The L-12, that's what's buggin'." He noted they had been waiting for some minutes now. "Where's Gibbs and Ziva?" He was surprised they beat them to the scene.

Tim checked the camera for the SD memory card. "The key Mrs. Edens gave him." He shrugged. "I'm sure he gave dropped by the lab and left it to Abby to figure out before heading here."

Tony liked unknown keys. "Keys usually lead to big secrets."

Tim smirked. "With this case, we're finding secrets without keys, Tony."

"Thanks for that Mc Killjoy." Tony lost his humor and returned to gloomily watching the scene.

The car was in the process of being pulled out of the pond by a tow truck upon their arrival at the scene. The two agents exited the Major Case Squad truck prepared for along night of evidence collecting. Other NCIS scientists combed the area looking for other evidence left behind outside the immediate zone of the pond and vehicle.

"This case is getting weirder by the second, Timmy." Tony eyed Ducky and the Autopsy Gremlin waiting for their turn.

"You're not kidding." Tim sighed. "Edens divorced his wife thinking he would protect her."

"Best thing he did for her really." Tony agreed. "Which means only one thing."

Tim glanced over at Tony. "That is?"

Tony grimaced watching Ducky and Jimmy standing by as the car drained of water. The winch stopped once the car was safely on solid ground. Tony and Tim surveyed the car but hesitated before approaching it. They were waved by the man operating the tow winch that it was safe to approach and they could step forward.

Tony walked up to the car and peered into the back seat across from Ducky on the opposite side of the car. "Quinlan's setting up Edens to take the fall."

Tim came to stand next to Tony and both looked at one another.

Tim said. "That's not Lt. Commander Edens."

Tony sighed seeing how this day was going. "Looks like we might've found Rachel June."

Ducky looked over across the car to Agent DiNozzo. "The victim does appear to be female. Though there's not much left of the tissue to determine identity."

Jimmy, now standing besides Ducky, nodded. "Dental identification then."

Tim lifted his camera and snapped a photo of the body in the backseat of the car.

…TO BE CONTINUED…


	48. Episode 16: Ship and the Lighthouse P3

**NCIS Season 9**

**Episode 9.16.3**

**THE SHIP AND THE LIGHTHOUSE**

**By: Lady JenDragon**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own the NCIS characters as seen on the TV but I've added my own characters.

**Author's Notes: **…sad Ziva's leaving the show…so much opportunity there and the writer's wasted it…sad…

* * *

**The Ship and the Lighthouse**

**Part Three**

**Chapter Twenty-Four**

The three Major Case Squad agents worked through the night covering the crime scene for any clues left behind. Ducky and Jimmy verified the identity of the victim in the car as Rachel June through her dental records at around two am.

Gibbs and Ziva went to the home of Rachel June at nine in the morning to inform the family of the discovery and verification of the victim's identity. Upon returning to the Navy Yard just before lunch, Ziva found Tim and Tony deep in the throes of searching for answers. They already heard the good news.

"He just gave it to you?" Tony was amazed.

She nodded as she dropped her field bag by her desk. "Handed Gibbs the envelope the moment we walked into the house." Ziva shuddered that so many suspect people were involved in this case. "He recently found it tucked in the entertainment center."

Ziva moved to stand at the plasma screen with Tony and Tim.

"She kept everything in a secret safety deposit box at the bank and left the key in her husband's gun cabinet knowing he would find the key within months if anything happened to her. I feel sad for him. He was a mess when we told him the body was his wife." Ziva remained solemn at the memory of watching the husband break down despite expecting his wife to be dead after how months missing. "He always cleans his gun collection twice a year. It made my job a lot easier. She gathers all this evidence on Quinlan then tells Edens what she knows about Quinlan and gives him copies of the evidence. Then Rachel goes missing."

Tony added. "It might've been a warning to Edens from Quinlan. Now he's an accessory. James Edens files for divorce thinking his wife would be protected from any outfall while he plays along with Quinlan."

Ziva silently agreed it was a good ploy. "Gambling problems and irreconcilable differences, the divorce was granted fast."

Tim nodded. "Took only two months for the divorce to finalize." He clicked the remote to the plasma screen and a picture of Rachel June and Jake Townsend popped up. "Rachel June is actually a cousin to Jake Townsend through marriage, one of the victims found in the harbor by CGIS."

Tony knew the drill. "Quinlan thinks he's covered his ass." He looked to Ziva suddenly. "What happened with the key Mrs. Edens gave Gibbs?"

"We still don't know what it's to yet." She sighed. "It's not a safety deposit box. Probably some place Edens thought he was safe. Abby hasn't matched it to anything just yet." Ziva paused. "Strange that Rachel never told Edens, or anyone, about the safety deposit box at her bank." Ziva folded her arms. "Not even her husband."

Tony knew this was looking good for the case. "Abby and Hach have the contents now. There's a catch here."

Tim glanced at Tony. "Quinlan kidnaps Edens to set him up for the fall. Now he's got to tie up loose ends."

"If Edens knew about Quinlan's activities, why not report it to his CO?" Tony shook his head. "Nah, Edens was trying to find something out. Maybe he found out something we haven't yet. It would be too easy to just kidnap Edens and use him as the fall guy. Too obvious."

Ziva found the line of reasoning rather solid as far as evidence was concerned. "We have Quinlan nailed."

Tim clicked the remote and photos of Quinlan with a file in his hand at the copy machine took up most of the plasma screen.

"What we have at the moment only implicates Quinlan." Tony did not like how this case was unfolding. "We can nail him for making copies of the fraud cold case files and maybe trying to sell them. But someone's pulling his strings."

"How you figure?" Gibbs asked from behind the team.

Tony turned to the boss standing by Ziva's desk taking a drink from his coffee. "The four properties he owns are all paid off and sitting empty. They're modest properties. Actually they're remarkably in shabby condition. A man pulling the dough in for selling cold case files to the highest bidder to thugs wanting to avoid the authorities and keep one step ahead of their investigation isn't building a nest egg. His accounts only show a few million that he inherited from a rich aunt. He's been doing this for years. He's not spending money on vacations, cars, and real estate."

Gibbs agreed. "He's funding someone."

Tony nodded. "I bet the L-12 are involved, boss." He hated to bring up a thorn in their side. "Some of the cases listed in June's records were targets of the L-12." He grimaced at the idea. "I doubt that's a coincidence."

That changed the mood in the room quickly. Nor did it sit well with anyone at the moment. The L-12 had been their number one pain the in ass since the fall when they came across Colonel Shepard's body in Rock Creek Park, which ultimately led to The Reaper and now the FBI's most wanted assassin, Perfecto. No matter how close they got, the members of the L-12 slipped through their fingers. This was just another in a long line of evidence coming to light regarding the elusive L-12. Even Vance would be annoyed at Tony DiNozzo's explanation probably because it was true.

Gibbs nodded. "39."

Tony, Tim, and Ziva nodded knowing what Rule 39 described.

**Chapter Twenty-Five**

Leon glared at Gibbs from behind his desk after the senior supervising agent finished his briefing. Deciding it was better to stand, he wanted more than just information. However, NCIS was no closer to catching the L-12 than the FBI for DHS. However, NCIS had a few more crumbs he had not shared with the others departments. The L-12 was a thorn in NCIS's side and was not going away anytime soon.

"This damn case just won't end." He was frustrated. "The L-12's got their damn fingers in everything."

"One of the L-12 is taking care of Quinlan's assassinations directly." Gibbs agreed with DiNozzo on this. "No way Quinlan's pocketing the money for himself. It's another member we're not aware of yet."

Vance looked to Gibbs. "We're about to find out who." He tightened his jaw then released it. "If another member of the L-12 is involved, he might be able to lead us to their handler. How did they get involved with Quinlan?"

Gibbs paused. "Still working on that angle. If I had to guess, he's single with minor connections in the armed forces and a few in the private sector. He's been attending multiple parties in the DC area building a network."

Vance saw the plausibility of this. "Could be they came to him once he got his position at the Pentagon."

"Seems the L-12 has been dropping bread crumbs these past few months." Gibbs did not like the innuendo of those breadcrumbs. "For NCIS only."

Nor did he like that it appeared the L-12 was maintaining the attention of NCIS, CIA, DHS, and FBI concurrently. What were they keeping NCIS blind to was the main question on his mind lately. The L-12 was not to be taken lightly regardless of the years of training an agent had under his belt.

"Don't I know it." Vance asked suddenly. "Where's Agent Borin?"

"Still missing, sir." Gibbs nodded his displeasure of the missing CGIS agent.

Vance sighed at that. "Find her."

Gibbs nodded and said softly. "Yes, sir."

Gibbs left the room wondering if they were looking at the situation all wrong.

**Chapter Twenty-Six**

Hach stared at the key from Mrs. Constance Edens Agent Gibbs dropped off last night to Abby on the plasma screen. It was luck she happened to come in this morning to run additional analyses on several compounds troubling her from an earlier investigation. Forced to deal with Agent Gibbs, she sighed knowing Abby Sciuto would run the main evidence as it came in. She would take over when Abby needed a break. But it was the key itself that bothered her.

Abby spun around to find Hach staring at the screen with the key magnified.

"I've looked at that key a hundred times." Abby found nothing in the archive database that could match any features. "I've run everything on the key through every database I can find. I know it's not bank deposit box." Abby was annoyed. "That would be too easy."

"You see this etching on the key?" Hach read the word 'Crawley'.

Abby nodded. "It must mean something only to Edens."

"Could be the assassin's name." Hach said finally. "Or a location he recognized. Or a code word perhaps? Does Lt. Edens own a computer?"

Abby was already at the computer station, her fingers flying a hundred miles an hour over the keyboard. The plasma screen showed a variation of records being sorted and one coming to the front.

Abby shook her head. "No. That might've helped. He's old school."

Hach offered. "Check buildings around the harbor to see if their owned by someone named Crawley. If the Lt. is old school as you say, he would eave clues behind."

A map of the harbor came up in one window and a search of city directory listings in another. She also ran a search through the state database and local area databases just to cover her bases. One document popped up then several more.

"You are brilliant beyond brilliant!" Abby beamed at Hach who backed away from the taller scientist.

"I take this to mean you believe as I do that Quinlan might have hired his hit-man and kept his name on the payroll?"

"At his house actually." Abby nodded and smiled widely. "From the list you gave me when you hacked Quinlan lat year, he has a Crawley on the list." She highlighted the top left of the document on the screen. "Walter K. Crawley owns a warehouse on the harbor near where Agent Borin disappeared." More documents appeared on screen. "He's paid his taxes on time and without fail for the last twenty some odd years. He's also been listed as just a warehouse yet that part of the harbor isn't even being used for anything."

Hach nodded in agreement. "Hence the reason Edens etched Crawley onto the key and gave it to his wife. She would never have put the clues together."

Abby added. "I'll have the address shortly for his residence. If he even goes by that name."

Hach smirked. "There's a number of names on that list. Try narrowing down your search to people without driver's licenses." Abby paused to look at Hach and she explained. "An assassin would have back up aliases for owning property. Not to flee the country once their cover was blown. Eventually someone might find out there is more than one guy with the same face on the DMV database."

Abby did a quick check of the DMV database. "Got three names!"

Gibbs walked into Forensics at that moment. "I'll take those."

"You're late, Gibbs." Abby turned and said resolutely. "You're supposed to be here before I'm ready to spill." She perked up not waiting for Gibbs to respond. "I've sent the warehouse address to McGee." Abby spun around to greet Gibbs and pecked him on the cheek. "I'll get you the residence addresses on your way to the harbor." She paused and added with her hands in the air at head height. "In case you don't get him at the harbor."

Gibbs paused, smiled then pecked Abby on the cheek and left the lab.

Hach was amazed at Abby's control over Agent Gibbs. "You make him disappear so quickly."

Abby nodded and smiled at Hach over her shoulder. "If you give him what he wants, he usually goes away. Then he catches the bad guys."

Hach could only wonder at this turn in events.

**Chapter Twenty-Seven**

Gibbs strode into the Squad Room finding his agents lying in wait for him, not to head out to the harbor, but at the plasma screen. He slowed then came to a stop expecting them down at the garage already. Retrieving his gun and badge from the drawer, his team apparently had something else in mind.

"Abby has the harbor address." Gibbs felt his team was hesitating. "Let's go."

"Not until we've showed you what we found once Abby and Hach connected some dots and emailed them to me." Tim controlled the plasma screen bringing up several photos of the same man.

Gibbs noted the man with brown hair, average looking, with and without hats, sunglasses and a robust build. He would never appear to anyone to be an assassin. Just the way the L-12 preferred it. Which made the assassin all that harder to catch.

Ziva took a step forward. "Meet Walter K. Crawley. Also known as Zachary Clemens. It's another alias. Crawley owns the warehouse but Clemens owns a residential house here in DC."

Tony chimed in and used the remote to bring up pictures and financials on screen. "While he's a ghost under this name, he also goes by Jeffrey Tamerel in Britain and Joshua Rose in Spain. It seems our boy is wanted in seven countries."

Ziva folded her arms. "Apparently, he's the poster man for the L-12."

Tony sighed. "Poster boy, Ziva."

Ziva shot a glare over her shoulder at Tony. "Poster…boy for the L-12. He's known to work for power CEOs and persons in high public office, and a lot of politicians. He takes up residence for several months at a time while he's pretending to be a bodyguard. Behind the scenes, he runs the ops for the L-12 in that city. His clients include Sheiks, Prime Ministers, and a few key tyrants in Africa. His reputation for getting unwanted people out of the way is well known."

Gibbs added. "While we chase him, the rest of the L-12 are free to move around."

Tony nodded. "Classic decoy."

Ziva knew better than to give in just yet. "While he is usually associated with the L-12, he's just as capable of committing a multitude of crimes. His position as professional decoy doesn't mean he's less dangerous."

"What do you see?" Gibbs asked his agents.

Tim and Ziva looked confused. However, Gibbs stared at DiNozzo waiting for a reply. Tony knew the boss was looking at something. Which meant, he already knew the answer to this question. Did they know it yet?

"First The Reaper, then Perfecto shows up. Now we got this guy." Tony sighed. "Another ploy by the L-12 to keep our attention on them."

"Now why would they want us to do that?' Gibbs wondered.

Tony glanced at Tim then over to Ziva. They did not think like their fearless leader. But Tony DiNozzo knew how Gibbs's logic worked and how his thought patterns connected the dots. And he knew his boss well enough that they should start finding the answers to questions they were going to have later just before the L-12 revealed their big plans.

Leon Vance answered for DiNozzo. "There's something going on we don't know about yet. But they're leaving breadcrumbs. We're close but not close enough."

Gibbs turned to stare at Leon Vance. The Director of NCIS stood on the stairs above the Major Case Squad. The brass wanted answers about the L-12 and their plans. No other agency had gotten as close to the L-12 as NCIS.

Tim heard the beep and pressed a button on the remote that brought up another a photo of the L-12 member. "Abby just sent up that our friend works at the Pentagon as a courier. And you won't guess who he runs documents for Gibbs."

"I'll take Henchman 101 for a thousand, Alex." Tony smiled pretending to press an invisible button. "What is Lt. Quinlan!"

Leon Vance pushed his hands into his pockets. "You done, Agent DiNozzo?"

Tony grimaced. "Sorry, Director. Trying to warm up the frost in the office."

Leon turned to leave. "Find the L-12 and you'll find it less frosty."

"Yes, sir." Tony lowered his head slightly.

Gibbs looked to Ziva, Tony and Tim. Silently, the team geared up, grabbing guns, extra ammo, and field bags in case a body was produced. The four headed out with the harbor warehouse as their first stop for the day. If they could keep their arrival from alerting Crawley, they might be able to nab him.

**Chapter Twenty-Eight**

Abby Borin woke to find herself bound and lying on a gurney chained down. The gurney was chained to a concrete block sitting in the middle of the warehouse. In the chair next to her, she was now Lt. Commander James Edens fellow prisoner. He wore a tank top and khaki pants but nothing more. Nothing else was discernible around her in the surrounding darkness. He was awake and staring at the floor. The bruising on his face and two gashes across the forehead indicated he was beaten a few times while he was here.

He noted she was awake and turned his head and whispered. "Who are you?"

"Agent Borin." Abby kept her voice low. "CGIS."

"Coast Guard?" James frowned as to why the Coast Guard would be after him. He adjusted himself and nodded when she glared at him. "No offense ma'am."

Abby shrugged and checked her situation. "How long you've been here?"

There was little she remembered from her meeting with someone named Jack. He called the office asking to speak with her. They arranged to meet at 10:30am in the morning. Though now she had no way to tell what time or day it was. She could not pat herself for her phone but she guessed it was tossed shortly after she was hit unconscious.

"Over a week." He looked around. "I used to be where you are. Looks like he made room for you."

Abby Borin perked up at the mention of Edens captor. "Who's 'he'?"

Edens glanced around then lowered his voice. "Goes by the name Jack Hoste though I suspect it's an alias. Courier, worked with Quinlan at the Pentagon running files back and forth from DC. I didn't think the courier was in on this whole thing." He paused to sigh. "I only met him a few times."

"When was the last time you saw him?" Abby wondered how long they would be here until Gibbs put the clues together.

"Yesterday." James listened to their surroundings. "He comes and goes on Tag's orders. That's Quinlan to you. He hasn't received word to kill me yet." James shook his head in disgust. "I just knew something wasn't right. I should've reported him when I had the chance."

"Why didn't you?" Abby inquired.

Edens sighed again. "Didn't have definitive proof. I only had evidence of his making copies of files. If copies were made and requested by another office then I had nothing. I couldn't tell if the files weren't listed as requested. I was still digging when I was taken."

"We're going to get out of here." Abby listened hearing nothing. "NCIS is looking for us now."

A figure came out of the darkness at that moment. "I certainly hope you're right."

Jack Hoste seemed to relish the idea of meeting Agent Gibbs. He wore fishing overalls, a long rain slicker over his robust frame. His feet were outfitted in boots as if he was planning on going fishing. In one hand he held a curved fish hook about the size of a soccer ball. His face was difficult to make out in this light.

James Eden and Abby Borin looked at one another slightly concerned.

**Chapter Twenty-Nine**

The Dodge Charger pulled up to a warehouse located four doors down from the target with Gibbs at the wheel. He silenced the siren once they got within a quarter mile of the warehouse. Ziva sat in the front passenger seat with Tony DiNozzo behind her and Tim McGee behind Gibbs. From this distance, the writing on the door had long since faded and no new sign had been placed. It was a nondescript building with dirty windows and multiple rusted doors.

"Walter Crawley owns the building but a Jack Hoste is actually registered as operating at this address." Tim pulled it up on-screen on his phone. "Bet it's the same guy. Looking up Jack Hoste now. No picture and no driver's license."

"Doesn't matter." Tony smirked. "Got him."

Ziva stepped forward. "It's a trap."

"How do you know?" Gibbs asked having walked into the Squad Room stealthily.

"When I was a Mossad agent, we came upon a number of our agents who were kidnapped by the L-12. I've seen this before. A trained professional knows how to lead an investigative team on a wild chicken chase." Ziva hesitated. "He planted Agent Borin's phone for us to find. He figured we'd make the connection between the harbor and Broin's disappearance. Hoste wants us to find Agent Borin on his terms."

Tony turned serious. "The L-12 better not be trying to blow us up again."

Ziva shook her head. "No. He's going to execute someone upon our arrival. If Lt. Commander Edens is still alive, I bet he and Borin are together. He's waiting for us."

Tim frowned. "Booby traps?"

"Without a doubt." Ziva nodded. "The entire perimeter of the building will be wired. I know the L-12 MO."

Ziva turned to leave but Gibbs stopped her. "Why have you never spoken of the L-12 before?"

"I've only seen this MO, Gibbs." Ziva knew to tell the truth. "Until now, we've never seen it on U.S. soil. I had to be sure otherwise I'd be giving you useless information."

Gibbs nodded believing Ziva was being honest with him.

Suddenly a car pulled around the corner ahead of them. Ziva pulled out a folded paper from her inside pocket and opened the map to DC hiding most of the car behind it. She appeared to be looking at the map for directions to throw off the driver of the other car. Gibbs watched her the entire time as her eyes kept constant contact with the new arrival over the map. Tony and Tim retreated laying down on the backseat.

"Quinlan came to see Hoste for himself." Tony said from the backseat.

The dark colored car pulled up to the warehouse and cut the engine by the door. There was only one person in the car. The driver opened the door and James Quinlan exited the vehicle. He glanced around the immediate vicinity finding nothing odd. Spotting the other vehicle he noted the map and then turned towards the door.

Ziva spoke softly. "He didn't make us."

Gibbs nodded towards her knowing the tinted upper of the windshield kept him from being recognized. He pulled his gun once Quinlan entered the building through the rusted door.

Tim and Tony exchanged a quick glance between them in the backseat before opening their doors.

**Chapter Thirty**

Gibbs and Ziva approached the front of the warehouse where Quinlan parked his car with SIGs drawn and safety's off. Gibbs noted nothing unusual about the vehicle though he instinct told him to be cautious. If Hoste rigged the car to explode during exit, his team would be in direct line of fire.

Ziva found no surveillance cameras on the building or nearby.

Gibbs stared at the door, checking with Ziva if she was ready. Nodding, Ziva gripped her weapon tighter as Gibbs eased the door open without sound. They entered the building finding an open reception area with no furniture in it. It was carpeted and stained brown from years of vacancy.

They moved through to the next door without making a sound. Ziva noted no surveillance cameras were used yet. It baffled her that Hoste was allowing NCIS to sneak up on him. Her time in Mossad taught her nothing the L-12 did was without purpose. If they were set up to arrive as a specific time, then the L012 was already expecting them.

The door led to a hallway that passed another large open office area, an open door cafeteria and a unisex restroom. Nothing else was seen from the hallway. Gibbs checked each room with Ziva as back up moving stealthily as they went. Coming to the end, they found the double door led to the warehouse area. Gibbs did a quick check through the window finding Boring and Edens in chairs facing one another.

Ziva noted the change in Gibbs stance, picking up that he could see the hostages. "Both?" She mouthed to Gibbs.

He nodded and waited for the quiet text from DiNozzo and McGee. Ziva would receive it and let him know they were ready to proceed. Suddenly they could hear Quinlan's raised voices in the warehouse.

**Chapter Thirty-One**

Tony and Tim ducked behind a fence and moved towards a rusted door left ajar, their SIGs in their hands at the ready. The door appeared inviting but NCIS knew this could be a trap in waiting. Their last encounter with an L-12 member ended up with two people almost drowning. Ducky and Abby were lucky to be alive today after Perfecto kidnapped them forcing Gibbs to hunt for them and rescue them before the tank filled. Hach figured out the clues just in time and directed the teams to the right address.

A quick recon of the situation improved his outlook. The building did not appear to have surveillance cameras mounted anywhere. Not even on the adjacent buildings were rigged as far as he could tell. Tony did not like this at all.

Tim nodded towards the door and whispered. "There?"

Unconvinced, Tony shook his head. "No." He glanced around. "It's got to be a trap."

Tim shrugged. "May not." He paused to look for surveillance cameras but found nothing. "I don't see anything obvious."

"It's the L-12." Tony gruffed in a whispered tone. "Nothing's obvious with them. Storming the castle isn't standard NCIS protocol, McProbie."

Tim rolled his eyes at the "Probie" reference. He thought for a moment then decided it was time to just make a decision. Gibbs and Ziva had to be waiting on them getting into place quickly. He ran for the safety of the building wall. Tony, unable to stop McGee, had no choice but to follow. He made it seconds after Tim. McGee approached the door left ajar.

Tim did a quick look through the door and found nothing odd. Not even a wire to indicate a trap had been set. Still, he exercised caution when he held his breath and pulled open the door slightly. There was no sound as the door swung easily.

Tony frowned that the door was not in any way trapped. No surveillance cameras, no trapped doors. In fact, they entered the building with no interference of any kind. The small reception room, suspected for deliveries, was empty and stained. The door across the way led to a small hallway with two closed doors on the left side. As they made their way down the hall, they were labeled as "driver" restrooms. His instincts were wary of what awaited them inside the warehouse. There was no window into the warehouse at this point. However, according to the door labeled "warehouse", the warehouse was just on the other side of this door. Tony and Tim each took a side of the door debating what to do.

Tim sent Ziva the text that they were outside a door labeled warehouse and would count to ten.

Then they heard the gunshot.

**Chapter Thirty-Two**

Quinlan stood in the warehouse between James Edens and Abby Borin disappointed with the outcome of months of work. And now Hoste gave NCIS two witnesses!

"You took the CGIS agent hostage?" Quinlan noted Abby Borin tied to a chair facing James Edens. "All this effort to conceal the activities of the L-12 in the DC area was almost complete. We agreed there was to be no hostages."

"No choice." Hoste replied evenly unphased by the agents on approach to the warehouse. "NCIS was closing faster than anticipated since CGIS went to them for help with Townsend and his friends. They were found earlier than expected based your orders. You were too slow at leaving the necessary clues to frame Edens."

Quinlan frowned deeply at the insinuation. "Everything was in place! Kidnapping him only make his story more believable. No one will think he's involved now!"

Hoste offered Quinlan his .45 handgun. "Then shoot Edens yourself now that he's useless. NCIS should be here soon if they followed the clues properly." He checked his phone to see if his contact wanted to meet.

Quinlan pulled his weapon suddenly alarmed. "What clues?"

Hoste glanced at Edens. "Apparently your CO left his wife a key that made it to NCIS. Dr. Hature was able to lead them here. My internet detector indicates they made the connection between Crawley and this warehouse early this morning."

"We need to leave then!" Quinlan insisted turning towards the door. "I can't be found here with you!"

James Edens chimed in. "Too late, Tag. They already know. I left everything for NCIS to find and to continue their investigation into your illicit activities. If it's true NCIS is on the case then I'm sure Dr. Hature is part of it. I know she transferred here not too long ago. You know how she gets when she's on the hunt."

Abby Borin stared at Edens amazed someone else knew Hach's reputation as well. A forensic scientist is one thing. Dr. Hature was a forensic scientist extraordinaire. But how did James Edens know about her? Did she really have that kind of reputation within NCIS?

Quinlan approached Edens with the intent to strike his CO. "You know nothing."

"Leave him be." Hoste smirked. "I have a little welcoming gift for NCIS."

Jack Hoste began walking towards the hostages when his cellphone rang. He walked away towards the wall of the warehouse as if he wished to have a private conversation. No one noticed that he cocked his firearm.

Abby Borin looked to Quinlan then Hoste and back to Quinlan. It was strange to find Hoste so calm in anticipation of the arrival of NCIS. Was there really a trap or was that for Quinlan's ears only? She would soon find out aware that NCIS had three dealings with the L-12. Two out of three incursions involved explosives.

Hoste's declaration of a "welcoming gift" for NCIS relieved his apprehension of NCIS coming. Still, he was told to meet with Hoste and wait for further orders. They would be under way within a few hours to the next target. He lowered his guard believing Hoste was more than capable of taking care of four NCIS agents. Keeping weapon at his side, he waited with Hoste wondering how long until NCIS would show up.

He heard the shot that ended his life.

**Chapter Thirty-Three**

Gibbs and Ziva stormed through the doors at the sound of the gunshot. Tim and Tony emerged at the far northwest corner of the warehouse and ran across the open floor. However, no one saw where Hoste had gotten off to. Ziva went to Edens to see if she could free him. Tony checked the darkened warehouse for signs of Hoste while Tim worked to free Agent Borin.

Abby Borin looked to Gibbs. "Hoste shot Quinlan from over there." She pointed to her left. "He went out the side door just before you came in."

Tony lowered his gun staring at the body of James Quinlan lying face down in a pool of blood. "So all of this was to get rid of Quinlan?"

Tim finally managed to unlock her cuffs. "He had to know we were here then." Silently he berated himself for not taking the time to look for sensors on the doors. "He rigged the entire building with sensors. I didn't see anything on the way in though."

Gibbs nodded that most certainly Hoste knew NCIS was entering the building. "Doesn't matter. The L-12 got what they wanted." He looked to Quinlan on the floor.

Borin got to her feet, happy to leave the uncomfortable chair Hoste dragged her to just before Quinlan showed up, flexing her arms and legs. "Quinlan said he was helping the L-12 hide their activities in the DC area. He indicated it was almost complete."

Tony added. "I'd say it's complete now." He glanced at Edens flexing his arms and legs from with the intention to try to walk after his lengthy imprisonment. "What was the L-12 doing in DC besides keeping our attention on them?"

"Assassinations most likely." Ziva said readily. "There's enough political, government, military, and civilian targets to make it worth the trip. It would make the most sense to perform all their assignments within days of each other and clear this area before moving on to the next area."

"Streamlines their money making operations." Tony added. "I agree with Ziva on this one, boss." He grimaced annoyed that the L-12, once again, slipped through their fingers.

THE END


	49. Episode 17: The Hulk Part 1

**NCIS Season 9**

**Episode 9.17.1**

**THE HULK**

**By: Lady JenDragon**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own the NCIS characters as seen on the TV but I will be taking them for a ride with some new characters I created.

**Author's Notes: **Wow! Is it really February 2014 already? I need more time to write! Whew! Seven episodes left after this one. I need to get cracking…

* * *

**The Hulk**

**Chapter One**

Tony DiNozzo exited the elevator glancing around the Squad Room and did a quick check of the time. He scurried off towards his desk hoping no one would notice he was late this morning, having slapped his alarm off and went back to bed for another thirty minutes. Traffic sucked worse than yesterday, if that was to be believed by the radio announcer. Traffic always sucked at rush hour. Almost to his desk, Tony slowed then came to an abrupt stop. Surprisingly, no one appeared to be on time either. He knew better than to hope for something that obvious. Yet neither Tim nor Ziva appeared to be here, it being almost nine in the morning and all. Stranger yet, Gibbs was absent as well.

"Not good." He approached his desk waiting for one of the team to appear without warning to catch him.

He almost held his breath. Counting to five, none of the team emerged behind him or from the direction of the lab. It was a strange Monday to begin with anyway. Not that the Major Case Squad had an active case at the moment. Tony suddenly became alarmed…unless that changed within the last hour.

"I didn't get a call." He was sure of that. "Everyone would be out of the office…" He pulled his phone from his jacket pocket and stared hard at the screen hard. "No call…" Glancing up and around, still no sign of the team, he allowed himself a breath. "…no case."

He narrowed his eyes and looked around the Squad Room once more. "Strange indeed…" His voice mimicked that of a bad British Sherlock Holmes voice. "The mystery is a foot, Watson."

Dropping his belongings behind his desk, he marched off towards the lab in search of his missing comrades. If anyone knew anything, it would be Abby Sciuto. There were mysterious ways about Abby Sciuto in how the universe aligned to give her the all-knowing powers of location. He could always run a search of their cellphones as a last resort. Confident the mystery of the missing Major Case Squad would soon be solved. Tony smirked as he walked towards his destination.

However when Tony got to Forensics, the lab was empty of Abby and the Little Doc. Tony stopped mid-room after passing through the glass enclosure only to find the equipment was running, humming as it busied reading the slew of samples that never seemed to end these days thanks to the L-12 playing tag with every major government agency on tap. Those samples already analyzed were displayed in a window on the plasma screens that flashed every so often since Energy Saver mode kicked-in. That usually took thirty minutes or so. Even the Little Doc was oddly missing since she practically lived at the Navy Yard being busy with who knew what lately. Tony took a deep breath, baffled his source was missing as well.

"Abby isn't far away." His eyes scanned the lab once more for clues, disappointed he had nothing to go on. "I know it…she doesn't leave the lab since her run-in with Perfecto." Tony narrowed his eyes and turned on his heels. "I'll find her…"

His instincts took him to Autopsy to see if Ducky the Doctor was in this morning since NCIS received two agents from the CIA that recently turned up dead in Canada. Ducky was doing them a favor through Vance. No one really cared about the CIA or its secret agents at the Navy Yard but Director Vance was hoping that a little cooperation would lead NCIS to information about any new L-12 intel by their sister spy agency. Still, the mysterious sudden deaths had Tony wondering what was really going on that the CIA didn't want NCIS to know about lately.

"All right…" Tony pondered the next step finding only one obvious place to check left. "I'll go see if a car is missing then…"

And that's when he found everyone gathered in the forensics garage, lined up in a row, staring at the blacked form of a former vehicle. Vance, Gibbs, McGee, Ziva, even Ducky and Palmer were there. Abby, dressed in NCIS forensic red overalls, walked towards the tow truck driver to sign for the burnt out form.

Abby signed off and returned to where the former car, an older vehicle from the look of it, had been left at an angle. Tony eyed the burnt out sedan and shifted his gaze to the silent group. There was plenty of room around the vehicle for Abby and her team. Ducky and Palmer were doing a visual on the form, currently standing at the back of the vehicle where the trunk had deformed, quietly discussing if a body may or may not be present in the vehicle.

"Agent DiNozzo…" Vance glanced at the senior field agent. "…you're late."

Tony didn't hide his tardiness. "Traffic." His eyes took a long look at the hulking black form then glanced in Vance and Gibbs direction. "What's this?"

Vance replied. "It was left outside my house sometime this early morning."

Abby finished for the director. "The flames were dying out when Director Vance found it." She loved burned out cars. "Strange that none of his neighbors seem to know how it got in front of his house."

"I didn't see it there the night before when I arrived home…around seven." Vance shoved his hands into his pockets at a loss for ideas. "Went to bed around midnight, up at seven this morning."

Tim McGee walked up beside Tony. "Local LEO's are canvassing the neighborhood for possible witnesses who might've seen the vehicle before someone set it on fire."

Tony looked to Timmy. "This isn't our case?"

Vance shook his head. "I'm fine with the DCPD doing the leg-work for witnesses. There are more of them than us right now. Their lab is backed up so they asked us to take the vehicle for the time being. I agreed since Miss Sciuto doesn't seem to leave the Navy Yard these days." He turned to set his eyes on Miss Sciuto on purpose.

Abby didn't look at Vance, keeping her eyes straight ahead on the blackened car, noticeably uncomfortable with being the sudden subject of conversation. She started her preliminary scan of the exterior for any signs of foul play or dents from a recent accident. There was little to go on at the moment and the license plates were removed prior to being burned. She doubt Metro would've noticed that little detail.

"There doesn't appear to be any remains in the car that I can see, director!" Ducky called out from the passenger side of the car.

Jimmy agreed looking hard at the interior of the vehicle. "I see no indications of organic residue in any of the seats."

Ducky nodded. "The trunk appears empty except for a missing tire rim. The reasons they might have left the tire behind escapes me at the moment." Ducky walked towards the group still standing near the elevator. "My work is done for the time being. Call me if you find anything I missed, Abby."

Palmer was shaking his head as he followed Ducky's lead, disappointed they found nothing on their initial sweep.

Vance turned to Gibbs with his coffee cup. "Figure out who owns the vehicle for starters. We'll go from there."

Gibbs nodded and Vance turned to leave, walking back to the elevator.

Tim and Tony exchanged a quick glance then looked to where Ziva was hovering near Dr. Hature. They were having a private, low volume conversation while looking at the vehicle. Ziva's eyes were fixed on Abby, not the vehicle. She worried that Abby might be retrograding back to post-Perfecto mode since she was having nightmares again.

Abby turned to the three agents and smiled. "Who's going to help me with evidence?"

Ziva and Tim both smirked and scurried off before Tony realized he was drafted. His face changed from fascinated to defeated. They would pay for this later, he decided.

"Awe, thanks, Tony!" Abby held out evidence jars towards him.

**Chapter Two**

A few hours later, Tony returned to the Squad Room slightly dirty from helping Abby retrieve samples from the burned out vehicle. He was a little disturbed by the closeness she showed during evidence collection. Strange, he never saw Abby Sciuto in such a light in all the years they had worked together. Maybe he was more than just disturbed by her intensity towards the vehicle.

"She named it…" Tony plopped down into his chair behind his desk.

Ziva looked up from her computer. "She what?"

Tony sighed letting his shoulder drop. "Abby named the vehicle 'Hulk'. Says it reminds her of her first case when she was a kid." But there were a lot of unspoken reasons Tony felt Abby kept hidden since her run-in with Perfecto.

"That's not good." Tim replied from his desk, pondering the meaning of her recent behavior. "It's never good when she names objects."

"Her run-in with Perfecto was a traumatic experience for her. She's not a field agent." Ziva narrowed her eyes at both Tim and Tony. "As I understand it, the nightmares only began last week. You two should be more understanding about what she's been through."

"I do care, Ziva, unlike McHeartless over there." Tony nodded towards Tim who rolled his eyes as he worked. "She was fine for a couple of weeks after her ordeal and now it's clear that she's not doing so well." Tony didn't understand Abby's psychology. "What I want to know is what took the nightmares so long to manifest?"

"Ducky says anything could have triggered the nightmares. Stress, a change in chemistry, a sound, or even a scent." Ziva shrugged, tapping away on her keyboard. "It's Abby we're talking about here. Ducky says they've been progressively getting worse these last few days."

Tony looked to Ziva. "Getting worse?"

"As in the dreams feel more real? The dreams feel so real that sometime the person doesn't want to sleep anymore." Ziva was at a loss in how to help Abby in her current predicament. "Abby won't talk to Gibbs about it either. And Ducky's been visiting her every day at the lab to see if he can help since they were in it together. Hach has been watching her closely."

There was a loud "ding" from Tim's computer and his fingers began their mad dance across the keyboard. Tony was amazed his fingers hadn't fallen off at the rate of speed they moved. His usual typing took five times as long as Timmy's.

"Seems Abby got only a partial VIN from the car." Tim was running through the DMV records looking for possible matches of the vehicle. "It's a Ford Crown Victoria, 1998 model."

"That was the last thing she pulled off the Hulk before retreating to her lab." Tony muttered. "I bet her ears are really red right now."

Ziva stared at Tony perplexed. "Why would her ears be red?"

Tony rolled his eyes. "Because we're talking about her, Ziva." Then he hesitated to look around, his shoulders relaxing at not finding Abby anywhere. "You know she's got that Abby-sense…knows all that goes on when she's involved. It's…kind of freaky…that's all." Tony perked up and looked over at McGee. "How many vehicles does that leave us to go through, McTimster?"

Tim frowned at his screen then squinted and sighed. "Over a thousand."

"Great." Tony's voice lowered. "Just our lucky day."

Ziva changed the subject. "Has Gibbs been acting strange to you guys lately?"

Tony looked at Ziva directly. "His Gibbs-ness needs no explanation, Ziva." He sighed wondering where the boss was anyway since he stealthily left the Forensics garage once the team broke into their assigned tasks.

Tim disagreed. "No, Tony, Ziva's right. We've worked long enough with him to know something's not right. Even Gibbs hasn't been right since Perfecto kidnapped Ducky and Abby. Maybe the L-12's finally getting to him."

"Gibbs is only gearing up for the war, McDreary." Tony glanced at Tim then back at Ziva. "Like the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor in World War II, the L-12 just woke the United States of Gibbs since targeting Ducky and Abby. Their first mistake…they made it personal. All hell's going to break loose when he finds them, I guarantee you that. Vance has NCIS on high alert until the L-12 are all caught or killed." Tony took in a deep breath. "The latter preferred if I'm picking up on the vibes from the man the upstairs."

"You think Gibbs will kill the any of the L-12 if given the chance?" Ziva was concerned.

Tim got serious. "This isn't a game, Tony."

"No, it isn't." Tony appeared sincere, his rationale following Gibbs recent behavior. "Gibbs thinks they're playing us for a reason." He appeared solemn but resolute in his belief. "So do I for that matter. If I'm reading this game they're setting up for us to play right…" He shuddered to think it might be a turning point at NCIS for him. "…none of us may make it out alive in the end."

Tim and Ziva looked to one another, alarmed at the idea. Mainly because Tony DiNozzo had an uncanny way of knowing exactly how Gibbs thought processes worked.

Not that he would ever share that information with them, which gave him an edge over his colleagues. Still, if the L-12 were setting NCIS up for something, certainly, someone, somewhere among the agencies had an idea what that might be. Vance and Gibbs were poking sleeping bears all over Washington from their recent activity in MTAC.

They looking for the right bear with the right information.

**Chapter Three**

Hours felt like minutes to the team working diligently at their desks sifting through the thousands of files. Tim's fingers worked the fastest, Ziva worked the most efficient, and Tony made the most phone calls to the owners of Ford Crown Victoria's just in the metro area alone. They hoped it wouldn't expand to the outer cities.

Suddenly Tim's head perked up. "Found it!" Tim announced, a smile touching his lips. "Owner is a Daniel Welker…DC resident. Wife reported him missing a week ago. A BOLO's been out on the vehicle for five days."

Tony set the phone down on his shoulder since he was on hold anyway.

Tim brought up their missing victim's face on the plasma screen by Gibbs' desk. "Daniel Welker…age thirty-eight. Current occupation is Financier, eleven years with Holland Bank and Trust. He's a former Navy petty officer on the Reagan until he was honorably discharged due to medical reasons three years ago. Supposedly at a conference when he went missing."

"There are a lot of files here from the local LEOs, guys." Tony noted the file folder in the upper right corner of the screen. "Boy they've been busy looking for Welker."

"He's ours now." Tim liked taking cases away from the local LEOs. "They're going to send everything to us since their labs are backlogged and the case supposedly went cold already."

Ziva added from her desk. "His company caters to the military mostly." She frowned at the list on her computer. "He's got the who's who of military brass as part of his network. The local LEO's were pretty thorough in collecting all the info they could get through normal channels during the initial investigation."

Tony got to his feet and walked to the plasma screen. "At least we know who he is." He glanced around the Squad Room expecting to find Gibbs lurking nearby. Boss was strangely missing in-action today. "But why send us his burnt out car?"

"That's what we're going to find out." Gibbs announced as he entered the Squad Room.

Tim and Tony exchanged a quick look between them.

**Chapter Four**

Abby stared at the screen as if terrified of its results. Chewing on her lower lip anxiously, almost outing, Abby felt paralyzed with recent events only adding to her current problem of finding nothing useful from remains of "Hulk", her new friend. She found some residue that might indicate what had been used to start the fire but the mass spectrometer wasn't being cooperative at the moment. The results were taking longer than she anticipated. Gibbs was due any minute and she had nothing to tell him at the moment.

"I've got nothing!" Abby slammed her hands down on the counter.

Hach looked up from her work station. "Nothing useful, Miss Sciuto?"

"Hulk dead." She grunted, imitating the cartoon voice. "Hulk not talking to me…" Tossing her hands up, Abby crossed her arms tightly across her chest out of ideas, glaring at her computer with betrayal. "Nothing…nothing…nothing..." Abby appeared openly anxious about her lack of job performance lately. "Everything I've done over the last few hours gives us nothing!"

"You are far too hard on yourself, Miss Sciuto." Hach responded evenly knowing her words would only be partially heard. "Abby, all it means is that the missing Daniel Welker is not a victim of foul play at the moment. Agent Gibbs and his team may yet find him alive."

Abby said nothing to this, standing as if she were being scolded for poor performance.

"Perhaps you require some time away from the lab?" Hach offered, nodding towards the door. "How about you go get something to drink to take your mind off things. The exercise will do you some good." She paused at Abby considering her options then added. "I can prescribe you a sedative if you aren't sleeping at night."

Abby said nothing again, biting her lower lip even harder. She sighed in defeat. Maybe it was time to take a few hours off to get her head together. Suddenly, she turned and left the Forensics lab through the glass enclosure. Hach smirked that Abby had decided something…though she would find out later, or from one of Gibbs' team, what that "something" ended up being. Sighing that her job was done, Hach spoke out loud to no one as she got back to work.

"Her lack of sleep is becoming problematic." Hach paused at her conclusion then reached for the phone and dialed a number, hearing the dialing tones on the other end. A click and someone picked up the other end. "Ah yes, Dr. Mallard…" She paused at the correction from the other party. "Yes, er…Ducky…you were correct. Miss Sciuto does appear to be exhibiting clear signs of psychological trauma stemming from her run-in with Perfecto. I think it is best to follow your suggestion."

Satisfied with the answer on the other end, Hach set the phone down on its receiver and went back to work.

**Chapter Five**

Abby held her Caf-Pow close to her walking through the aisle of the supermarket, outwardly annoyed. It was bad enough she had to come here of all places to get her "inspiration". Her usual place to get her daily dose was closed down to a burst water main. So she was forced to come to this large market to get her fix. The extra-large sized cup was proof she felt some serious stress lately. And the team seemed to stop bringing her what she craved.

"I'm so in trouble…" Abby took a long sip from the cup as she walked towards the check-out. "Why does this have to be the only other place in town for Caf-Pow?" Abby wasn't sure why she was off her game. "Everything's throwing me off my game these days."

Coming around the corner to the check outs, Abby didn't see the man in the gray suit reading a bottle label until it was too late. She collided with him, clutching her Caf-Pow so tightly the cap almost flung into the air had she not slapped her other hand over it to prevent an awful fate. The man easily caught her, preventing them from both falling over.

"Oh my god!" Abby realized the man was dressed in a very expensive suit. "I'm so sorry! I should've looked where I was going!" She glanced at the suit and realized none of the Caf-Pow desecrated his clothing. "Sorry, I wasn't thinking…" Something made her stop suddenly.

The man set her right, waved her off, and signed "No worries" to her. Her eyes watched his hands then followed up his arms and up to his handsome face.

Abby paused, her anxiousness diminishing at the distraction. "You're deaf?"

The man shook his head then smiled, signing his response. A tall man roughly six-three, slender line judging from the cut of his suit, and well-built with brown hair well-groomed. His eyes were a pale blue with strong features and a confident chin. Abby's eyes widened at the bright flash of white teeth. The man was beautiful as far as suited men went. Her eyes caught on that he was signing to her, having realized she could communicate with him.

"You're a mute then…oh…" Abby watched him sign in additional explanation. "Yes, that's a hereditary disease it seems. I have a cousin who has that too." She signed as she spoke. "So you can talk on occasion when your voice comes back?"

The man nodded…he motioned towards the small cart with a six-pack of beer set in the child seat and a bag of potato chips. His black wool trench coat was hung over the basket neatly at the end to balance the cart. Abby noted he was well groomed about the hands as well.

Abby glanced at the beer then back up to the "dreamy" suited man. "You don't strike as the type to drink beer."

He laughed silently and signed back. "You don't seem the type to drink…" Signing individual letters to spell out... "C-A-F-P-O-W."

Abby laughed for the first time in days and signed as she spoke. "I guess I wouldn't be that type to you dressed like this. Are you local or just visiting?"

"Visiting contractor." The man replied quickly using his hands. "And you, my dark colored princess?"

"Awe…you called me a princess!" Abby wasn't sure how she felt about that title but focused on the innocent gesture. "You're so sweet! Do you need a tour guide while you're here?"

To the man's surprise, Abby took him by the arm and aimed them towards the check-out, her Caf-Pow securely tucked under her other arm.

**Chapter Six**

Abby exited the elevator at a fast walk towards the laboratory on her way to drop a few things off with another colleague. There was a bounce in her step as she slurped her Caf-Pow without a single thought. Tony looked up from his desk when she exited the elevator, noticing the change in Abby immediately. Tim looked up second followed by Ziva turning to find their forensic analyst bouncing through the Squad Room heading somewhere that was not her lab.

"Is it me or does our resident Goth look extremely happy at the moment?" Tony looked perplexed at Abby nearly dancing through the Squad Room.

Tim was alert, staring at Abby with concern. "More so than usual, even for her."

"Her usual place to get Caf-Pow's is closed due to a water main problem." Ziva noted the zeal in Abby, deciding that something happened of a personal note while Abby was gone. "She's had to go to the market all this week since we all agreed to stop bringing her Caf-Pow."

Tony winced that Abby had to go to an actual market to get a Caf-Pow. "Everyone's having water issues lately. Is no place safe, anymore?"

Tim snickered. "Abby hates that market. It's too bright for shopping and their Caf-Pow flavors are severely limited."

"No, this is something else." Ziva knew Abby well enough to know what her moods meant.

"Something good happened to her on her Caf-Pow run." Tony looked to Tim McGee. "Guess she holds her Caf-Pow's in higher esteem than our resident McNerd."

"Doesn't matter." Tim replied without looking at DiNozzo. "I'm still above you on the list of people she cares about more, Tony."

Tony glared at Tim, narrowing his eyes at the junior agent. Ziva started laughing at the joke, needing to hear laughter these days. Even Tim McGee smirked as he worked knowing Tony simmered in his chair silently without an immediate come-back.

**Chapter Seven**

Gibbs informed Leon Vance of their progress into the investigation. His visit was more of a conversation starter and Vance knew it from his expression when he had entered the office. But he also had another reason for coming to the director's office personally. Once Gibbs concluded his report, Vance leaned back into his chair and sighed.

Vance asked one question. "You sure it's Daniel Welker?"

Gibbs narrowed his eyes slightly. "You know him?"

"Yes." Leon pressed his hands together and sighed. "Met him a few times at some of the military functions I'm forced to attend as NCIS Director." Vance slipped his hands into his pockets as he stood up behind his desk. "Thought he was trying to get his foot in the door with key personnel the first time I met him. I dismissed him just as easily and thought nothing else of it. Actually a nice guy once you get to know him. He's got contacts all over the country in every industry in case someone needs a connection for something."

"Dangerous?"

Vance shook his head. "He's the finder type. Guys like him make themselves useful when you need something and nothing. They keep you connected so you keep using their services. Maybe this connection will lead to another connection." Leon paused at a memory. "Word at the Admiral's Ball last December was that Welker was beginning to stray into unchartered territory."

"Another line of work?" Could lead his team to some another connection Metro missed in the initial investigation.

"He's been trying to tap into the technologies side of the business instead of management and futures." Vance didn't take Welker seriously the last time they met. "He was talking up several VPs of the local companies used by the Navy. The latest technology comes out in March/April and the demonstrations usually whet the appetite of the admirals enough in November to make them dread the wait time."

"Did Welker mention any technology he focused on specifically?"

"He wasn't tech savvy enough to understand how to sell it." Above other things, Vance sighed again, realizing that there had been more to Welker than he imagined. "Honestly, I blew him off and went and got a few drinks with several admirals that night." Leon looked to Gibbs who appeared blank. "Think he might've got wind of something we haven't heard about yet?"

"Too early to tell." Gibbs knew there was something off about this case. "But if he had, he kept it pretty close to the vest."

"You talk to Darli yet?"

The name caught him off guard. "The wife?" Gibbs continued once Leon nodded that Darli Welker was indeed Daniel's wife. "That's my next step." Gibbs eyed Leon wondering what he was holding back. "We didn't have anything new to add yet."

"Waiting till you found something else to offer her when you visit?" Leon Vance knew Gibbs well enough to reserve judgment on the wife.

Still, the lingering anger from Perfecto abduction of Miss Sciuto and Dr. Mallard kept him on edge since they retrieved the pair just in time to avoid a drowning death. That put Perfecto in the Number One spot on Gibbs list. Maybe his best agent's anger might be enough to find the L-12. Might not.

"No sense in rehashing old memories." Gibbs kept his face blank. "I doubt we'll find anything the local LEOs haven't found out just yet. You know Welker's wife personally, sir?"

"No." He shook his head, slightly disappointed after having heard the stories that she was 'hot'. However, he found it strange that Welker never brought her to any of the functions he attended." Leon smirked slightly. "He always said it detracted from business. He would mention her by name a number of times during the night."

Gibbs smirked at that, turning to leave the office. Vance didn't stop him, watching the agent leave. He let out a sigh wondering why Gibbs visit was short. Here he expected more questions about the L-12, yet, Gibbs avoided the subject.

**Chapter Eight**

The suburban house was light blue with white trim and typical of those in the subdivision. Tony halted the dark blue company vehicle in front of the middle of the block. Ziva got out of the car first, slamming her door shut as Tony opened his door. Annoyed, she shrugged and walked off towards the front door of the home, verifying the address. With a ring of the doorbell, they were greeted and invited inside by a tall, beautiful, middle-aged woman.

Darlene "Darli" Welker sat on the green sofa in the sparsely decorated living room of white walls and landscapes perfectly arranged in line around the room. She lowered her brown-haired head stared at the photo of the vehicle Tony DiNozzo brought with him. Ziva sat beside him in one of two matching blue and green flowered patterned wing-back chairs across from the wife.

"It looks like his car despite the burned areas." Darli looked up at the agent with hopeful wide eyes, tears brimming but not escaping. "You're sure it's Danny's car?"

Ziva nodded. "We had a partial VIN from the dash."

Darli snickered. "Yeah, that's Danny's car then. He was replacing the windshield three years after we got it cheap from a family member on his side. His cousin Wally, I think." Darli clasped her hands together on her lap. "Anyway, he noticed the VIN was partially filed off. I've never seen him so furious. He marched off to his cousin's house to find out where the car came from. Danny was angry that the car might've been stolen."

"Did Wally tell him where the car came from?" Tony asked softly.

Darli nodded. "He got it from a government auction the month before. My husband got the receipt and went to check out the auction house. He went so far as to track the car back to a drug lord busted for dealing. Seventh time convicted so the dealer won't come looking for his vehicle. All the paperwork was legit so he left Wally alone after that. Do you know where Danny is, Agent DiNozzo?"

Tony replied evenly to avoid any over exertion of emotion towards the woman. "We didn't find your husband, Mrs. Welker. His car was left in front of the Director of NCIS' house."

"They said that on the news." Darli clasped her hands together tightly. "It…the news said it was burning still. Is that true?" She paused to look to Ziva who nodded. "I wasn't sure why anyone would leave a car burning out in front of someone's house. Did no one see anything in the neighborhood?"

Tony and Ziva glanced at one another.

"We're not allowed to discuss an on-going investigation at the moment." Tony needed to ask the question. "Do you know if your husband was working on anything…technology-wise?"

Darli laughed at that then simmered down quickly enough. "Danny wasn't in any way capable of designing or creating any type of technology." A giggle escaped abruptly but she caught herself and became serious. "He's what I call technology-dumb. Love him as I do, he destroys any system he pokes around inside for longer than a minute. I had to rewire the house when we got the new entertainment system last year after he 'installed' it. His tinkering crossed all the lines in the house." Her head perked up. "Did you check out his hotel?"

"We're looking into where he was staying for the conference." Ziva added. "Do you know if he was to meet anyone before or after the conference?"

"He didn't mention meeting anyone to me." Darli paused as a memory resurfaced. "But he did mention that some company had new technology coming out. Someone from this company would be at the conference so he was looking forward to getting there early." She looked between the two NCIS agents. "Is there any reason to think he could still be alive?"

"We don't know either way yet." Tony straightened his back in the chair. "If we find him, we'll let you know."

Darli flexed her hands again then clasped them together. "I can still hope, yes?"

"I can't stop you from hoping." Tony hoped along with her that Daniel Welker remained alive at this juncture. "Do you know why he would have taken a route through rural Virginia?"

"Danny liked scenic routes even if he was on a time crunch." Carol smiled stiffly. "He enjoyed taking the longer routes just to see if there was something he missed along the way. Danny always spout off that with all of today's technology we've lost the natural rhythm of life. It was his way of relaxing."

Tony heard the beep of his phone receiving a text. The ringtone let him know it was from  
McGee. Reading the text, he looked at Darli Welker. "Where do you normally go on vacation, Mrs. Welker?"

"Why does it matter?"

It was best to smooth over with a simple explanation. "We're wondering if he met someone on your last vacation that might've led to his disappearance."

Her answer could prove valuable. Ziva eyed Tony closely wondering what he was up to. She said nothing, patiently hiding her irritation. Probably because of how he asked the question rather than the question itself, Tony surmised.

Darli shrugged. "We stopped taking road trips together a long time ago. Seemed we always ended up arguing over something silly. But our last vacation was special." Her eyes brightened at the memory. "Danny won a four night, five day trip to Paradise Island in the Caribbean from one of those mall stalls where you buy something. He just bought a new phone since his last phone somehow ended up in the toilet." Darli wiped her eyes at the memory. "I thought maybe one of the kids dropped it in the toilet as payback for us not letting him go to his homecoming dance. Danny never bothered to replace his phone until then. He always thought it kept the telemarketers from calling even though we're on the Do-Not-Call-List."

That irritated Tony to no end. "They still call don't they?"

"Yes." Darli suddenly got annoyed. "I got a call yesterday around seven, in the middle of dinner. I swear it's a conspiracy with these telemarketers. Tried to sell me life insurance." She took a deep breath. "I hung up on him."

"I would've too." Tony stood up. "If you remember anything else, please let us know, Mrs. Welker."

"Thank you." Ziva nodded at Darli Welker and moved towards the door.

Outside, heading for the car, Ziva could tell Tony was a bit too quiet. She counted her steps until they were well outside of earshot of the house to ask her question. Ziva could tell when Tony was piecing things together in his mind.

"What's wrong?" Ziva wondered what the text was about.

"Anything about that interview bother you?" Tony had his motives.

"Which part?" And Tony wasn't going to share everything going on in his mind, Ziva realized. "The wife being overly anxious or the fact he didn't tell anyone where he was going?"

"The wife?" Tony rounded the car to the driver's side.

"She's beautiful…" Ziva had seen this scenario play out so many times. "He has a lot of money…jealous?"

Shaking his head, pretending he hadn't heard the last word, Tony replied, a confused tone added to his voice. "He's out schmoozing with the admiralty at military functions around DC and he leaves the wife at home?" Tony opened his door and paused at the thought in his head. "He'd get farther if he brought his wife along to the parties."

Ziva was appalled at his observation. "Just because a woman is beautiful doesn't mean she should be toted along to parties." But realized he had a point.

"Military men always look at beautiful women at parties, Ziva." Tony smirked sliding behind the wheel as Ziva yanked open her door and slid into the passenger front seat beside him. "It's a perk of being at the party in the first place. She's smarter than her husband where technology is concerned and has the abilities to talk her way through a crowd. In my opinion, she could've aided her husband's career by being at his side instead of being left home."

"I'll take a closer look at the wife then." Ziva finally understood where Tony was going with his line of reasoning.

**Chapter Nine**

A beautiful, yet wholesome, feminine face smiled back at him. This was the type of woman who exuded strength, sexual confidence, and a genteel nature unless her children were threatened. Daniel Welker sure did marry a good woman from what he read in the file. Then again, he hated people who came from money and got more money when they married. Still, there was enough about her in the file to get a sense for who she truly was inside.

Tony liked the look of the woman on the plasma screen. "Darlene Fitzgerald Welker. Darli is a childhood name that she uses with family and friends."

"Comes from a wealthy family. She was rich before she got married." Tim brought up the financials, knowing the local LEOs already took a look into the financial records of the missing person. "Richer since she got married to Welker. Her husband's a whiz at the stock market. Guess he's been taking classes from Franklin Fitzgerald, Darli's father."

Tony was suspicious of the whole marriage. "A bit too good if you ask me."

"All of their records check out." Tim brought up the paper trail. "Daniel Welker made sure he left a paper trail for us, anyone, to follow him. Seems he didn't use cash for anything. His last purchase was for gas at a station in New Jersey near his hotel the day he disappeared."

Ziva chimed in from her desk as she sent data over to the plasma screen for the other two to read with her. "According to Detective Asroy, someone checked Daniel Welker out of his hotel three days early pretending to be Welker. The conference was to last five days from what I read. Daniel Welker never officially checked into the conference. Hotel's sending a digital copy of the surveillance cameras by national express overnight to us of the person who checked out as Daniel Welker."

Tony narrowed his eyes finding nothing out of the ordinary. "Where did he go?" He didn't like not being idle while waiting for evidence to come in. "Abby got nothing from the car?"

"Not yet but she's positive she'll find something." Ziva shrugged, holding up her phone signaling that Abby was keeping her updated via text messaging. "Won't know anything until the surveillance footage arrives."

"Nothing useful so far." Tim shrugged. "She's been canvassing the car for something she might've missed. Abby can be…thorough." For lack of a better word, Tim struggled to accurately describe her dilemma. "Still, she's a bit down that her powers of forensics failed us for the time being."

"If there was something to find, she would've found it already." Gibbs stated striding through the Squad Room.

"Boss." Tony was unsure if he was seeing things. "Where did…" He left the remainder unsaid knowing the response he would get.

Gibbs stopped at his desk then turned to DiNozzo. "You got something on your mind, DiNozzo?"

"Ziva and I questioned the wife." He pointed at Ziva then at himself under the steeled blue gaze. "She's clean." Tony knew he had nothing else. "For the time being anyway, boss."

Gibbs paused then nodded and turned towards the laboratory. Tim and Ziva appeared concerned that Tony wanted to openly ask Gibbs about his absence from the initial part of the investigation. But none seemed willing to face him down. His moods lately would not be quelled until the members of the L-12 were lying in Ducky's morgue.

**Chapter Ten**

Her portable lab table sat empty, her tools dismissed, and a chair pulled up alongside the car. Abby knew she had done her best with what they could find. Nothing she came up with yielded any answers. This wasn't the time for giving up but at the same time, she also had to realize that perhaps there was a point to all of this. And she hated to admit it…there might be no forensic evidence left behind.

"None to find I'm afraid, Hulk…" She lamented next to the burned out form.

Her run to get a Caf-Pow from the dreaded market turned into a most fortuitous event. At least Charles Deveux was someone not associated with the investigation. In fact, he was not associated with anything involving the military in any way, shape, or form. A little distraction might bring her some much needed focus back to this investigation, which only reminded her of the present situation. And Gibbs wasn't going to like it. Not. At. All.

"I don't like being useless in Gibbs' investigation, Hulk." Abby patted the car as if it would respond. "It's…unnatural…" She suddenly felt anxious, chewing on her lower lip. "I guess that whole run in with Perfecto really got to me more than I'm willing to admit…to everyone…" Leaning in closer to the Hulk, she whispered. "…except you of course." She sighed and let her shoulders drop.

"Thought I could handle it following the ordeal…but…" Taking a deep breath, Abby exhaled loudly. "I need to focus on evidence."

Abby got up and circled Hulk once.

Nothing from the analysis she completed thus far proved nothing hinkey about how the car burned. That the length of time it burned was hinkey in and of itself. She found no accelerant residue from Hulk to account for how the vehicle burned. That bothered her more than anything. With her head not 100% in the game, she was faltering the team. With that weighing on her shoulders plus her run-in with Perfecto, Abby Sciuto wasn't focused. Maybe she needed time off.

Abby paused in mid-step. "As if I would give up so easily."

Turning towards Hulk, Abby set her shoulders and smiled. "Hardened steel and alloys used to make chassis and wheel rims won't keep me from finding the truth." Abby was hoping for an extra-large Caf-Pow cup. "We'll keep you until we find your owner, Hulk."

She turned and headed towards the elevator to get back to work.

**Chapter Eleven**

Ducky was shocked when the doors opened to Autopsy and Jethro Gibbs walked into his realm. It wasn't often he saw Gibbs on a bodyless case. It was good to see his friend every now and then. But these days, lately, it was a result from their constant dealings with the L-12. Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibb's frustration with the mercenary assassins was beginning to show on his face and in his walk. Not with the L-12 per say but with NCIS itself. An enemy this clever and devious, Jethro was being held back by the upper brass at NCIS for unknown reasons. They wouldn't allow him to hunt them down as he wanted. Director Vance wasn't informed of the decisions either, only given the orders to trickle down the food-chain and follow without question for the time being.

"I'm sorry I have nothing to offer you, Jethro." Ducky felt useless for once. "It's not often we have a case like this."

Gibbs paused to realized he automatically assumed ducky would know why he was here. "How's Abby?"

"Sleeping beneath her desk on the floor. Scaring the cleaning staff being up at all hours of the night. Her constant attempts to pull long shifts without sleep." Ducky didn't like the path Abigail chose for herself. "How do you think she's doing?"

"She'll eventually crash." Gibbs knew Abby well enough. "Where is she now?"

"Off on her own in the building somewhere would be my first guess." Somehow he had become tasked with keeping any eye on Abby Sciuto. "Several of the other agents have taken it upon themselves to report to me when they've seen her just to keep her 'minded' without interfering. We've all been worried about her since our run-in with Perfecto."

Gibbs agreed. "She hasn't been right since, Duck."

"Nor I. However, I have chosen to confront my fears and hope you catch the bastards soon enough. My expertise is all I can offer you at the moment, I'm afraid." He paused remembering something. "There's some good news through the grapevine. Apparently, it appears Abby met someone this afternoon while on her Caf-Pow run to the market."

That struck him as odd. "She hates the market."

Ducky knew all too well the reasons why Abby hated the market. "Either way, it's taken her mind off her nightmares of late." Ducky smiled at the slight change in Gibbs' expression at the revelation. "Hach hasn't seen her since she returned with her Caf-Pow. She told Ziva about her chance encounter over a snack this afternoon."

"She's got a date tonight?" Gibbs questioned curiously.

"With someone named Charles Deveux. Seems he's a visiting business man blessed with a rare extreme of spasmodic dysphonia where his voice is lost for days at a time. Not that would stop Abby from communicating, as we both well know." Ducky sighed knowing that Abby Sciuto often did things her way that were not always the best for her. However, anything to get her out of NCIS would be good at this juncture. "Would do her good to get out of the laboratory."

"Is she back to normal?"

"That would be an obvious 'no', Jethro."

Gibbs huffed. "That's not what I meant."

"Work is all that keeps her normal these days. However, this distraction called 'Charles' seems to have brightened her outlook since this morning." Ducky knew there was something else lingering just beneath the surface but it was rare to find Jethro Gibbs offering up his inner emotions without provocation. "I'm fine too, in case you're wondering."

"I know." Gibbs turned to leave. "No luck on figuring out who Perfecto is?"

"Not that he would allow us the pleasure of catching him so quickly." Ducky moved to leave Autopsy with Jethro Gibbs this time, the pair walking into the hall just outside autopsy together. "I'm afraid he left us with no indications or forensic clues as to his identity. Let alone a name. He's too methodical for that at this point." He paused to quiet his own memories of his brief run-in with the notorious mercenary known only to every US agency. "I'm afraid this Perfecto is aptly named. He won't be rushed into a confrontation, Jethro."

Gibbs only nodded and walked off, leaving Ducky behind in the hall.

Ducky knew that he could no more prevent Jethro Gibbs from pursuing Perfecto as Abby would leave evidence behind. "Just don't go getting yourself killed over it, Jethro."

Gibbs waved his hand irritated over his shoulder, waving him off. Ducky smirked not because he found the situation funny, but rather ironic. It wasn't often that a known suspect riled the emotions of Leroy Jethro Gibbs to the point of obsessive compulsion. If his mood continued, they would see a dark side of Gibbs many could only fathom about. On the order equivalent to his seeking and killing the man who were responsible for the death of his first wife and daughter.

"The L-12 will make ghosts of us all."

Ducky muttered heading down the hall to escape autopsy since his services weren't needed there for the time being.

TO BE CONTINUED…


	50. Episode 17: The Hulk Part 2

**NCIS Season 9**

**Episode 9.17.2**

**THE HULK**

**By: Lady JenDragon**

**Disclaimer:** Usual.

**Author's Notes: **I must say, I do like the new character of Ellie Bishop. Just not sure how I feel about her as a long-term character though. What are your thoughts on the subject?

* * *

**The Hulk**

**Chapter Twelve**

Gibbs entered the Forensics lab through the glass enclosure then paused at his favorite scientist that was currently missing. Instead he found the shorter version standing at the work station. Hach ran the analysis from the crime scene and evidence received from Ducky on his sweep of the vehicle. Her fingers did appear to move faster than Abby's and the computer screens flipped between at least sixteen different views all seemingly at once. What the hell was she working on if not their current crime?

"Where's Abby?" Gibbs took a drink from his coffee before proceeding to Hach.

"Off to catch a mandatory nap." Hach turned to the plasma screen, not bothering to look at the agent. "Since she returned from her Caf-Pow run, her mood has improved by leaps and bounds." She knew why Gibbs was here. Abby's account of Gibbs keen sense of arriving in the lab when results came in was rather uncanny. "In the meantime, you are stuck with me, Agent Gibbs." She brought up the map of the states of New Jersey and Virginia. "Daniel Welker's work cellphone was shut off after he arrived in New Jersey but before his conference began. However, I tracked Daniel Welker's cellphone up until he disappeared and retraced his movements from the time he left home to when he arrived in New Jersey. He took a long journey through the rural highways between DC and his hotel, just as McGee discovered through his credit purchases. He checked into his hotel on Wednesday and seven hours later, his cellphone was turned off in rural northeastern Virginia. I have narrowed the nearest cell towers to triangulate his position when his cellphone was turned off."

"He back tracked to Virginia." Gibbs noted the strange movements. "The local LEOs put out a BOLO for him throughout New England."

"I doubt he would be in a small enough town where a stranger would be noticed. The local authorities would have been alerted already had that occurred." Hach turned to her keyboard then glanced back as the data she requested came up. "If Welker was meeting someone, I suspect they might have agreed to meet someplace people rarely visit. From this area, he could have returned to New Jersey in time for his conference."

Gibbs eyed the map finding no natural or artificial landmarks identified there. "What's in the area?"

"Appears to be farms mainly." Hach brought up a parcel grid of the various farms from the state assessor's office. "According to the county assessor's office, these six are currently the only vacant farms within the search radius of the cell tower where his last position was captured. If he was left for dead, his body may be where no one will find him immediately."

Gibbs nodded and turned to leave.

"Nothing else from the vehicle has proven to be of value thus far." Hach knew Gibbs wanted immediate results. "Abby was hoping to find proof of the accelerant used on the vehicle. So far, nothing has turned up. I will call you when something else comes in."

"You haven't gone over the vehicle?" Gibbs inquired.

"No." Hach turned to Gibbs. "Miss Sciuto has proven herself an exceptional forensic scientist over the last ten years. I would not like her to think I doubt her expertise now. I will produce maps of the area if you want to investigate the farms further."

Gibbs nodded but said nothing, leaving the Forensics lab as quietly as he arrived. There was more to Dr. Hature than she let on. But he didn't have time to investigate her at the moment. The L-12 was still running free with NCIS set in their crosshairs.

Hach thought nothing of the gesture, concluding Gibbs missed Abby's presence. In a few hours, Abby would rise and be herself again. And her date was fast approaching. With that in mind, Hach located the phone number she wanted and picked up the phone Abby kept at her work station, dialing quickly. There was only one ring when the other end pick-up.

"Ah…Gustav, glad to hear you are feeling well." Hach ignored the 'thanks' from the other end. "Anytime." She paused. "I am in excellent health at the moment. Actually, I have a favor to ask of you."

**Chapter Thirteen**

Tim checked the listing and map they received from Hach. Paired together for the ride out to the area where Welker may be held seemed like a long shot but Gibbs thought it was worth the look. It was better than waiting around for another. Tony and Tim drove to the nearest farm after checking the first one.

"Hope this one doesn't have as many barns as the last one did." Tony quipped from behind the wheel, barely making the right onto the overgrown driveway.

Tim held onto the door for balance, keeping the map tightly in his hand. His eyes did a quick check of the surrounding planted farmlands. "Looks like one house and two barns this time." Tim eyed the house then sighed.

Tony looked annoyed as he skidded to a halt. "Ziva and Gibbs are already at their second farm."

"That leaves one more for each team." Tim opened his door, leaving the map and list on the passenger seat. "You think Welker might be still alive?"

"Who knows what we'' find out here." Tony wanted to complain to complain. Welker's been missing for over a week now." Tony glanced around the farm, closing his door softly with little hope of finding anything.

Tim knew that if someone remained behind to babysit Welker, they shouldn't alert them to their presence. Not that Tony's skidding hadn't already done that, but who was he to bring up that small detail when DiNozzo was in one of his moods? "According to the info Hach sent us, this farm's been empty for almost ten years. Next door neighbor's been renting the land from the bank to grow crops." Tim took a deep breath. "House first or barns?"

"We did the house first last time." Tony turned and walked towards the nearest barn, the smallest one apparently. "We can hit the house last this time around. Besides, barns are dark, smelly places, McFarmboy. Let's get them out of the way."

The front door was awry and hanging off the bottom hinge. Every window in the house was broken or missing. The exterior siding was painted white with cracked and peeking paint. The porch roof appeared to have been ripped off during a wind storm and sloped against the far end of the porch.

The pair headed for the smaller barn pulling their weapons from their holsters. Tim took the left side, Tony the right when they reached the front doors. Finding the smaller person-size door ajar within the barn door, Tony made eye contact with Tim then nodded. Tony placed his hand on the door and took one last look at Tim to confirm their attack plan.

Without warning, Tony yanked open the door, shedding light into the barn's interior, dislodging dust and dirt he didn't want to know from where. They allowed the dust to settle before breathing in and peered into the barn. The interior was cast in too many shadows warranting a step inside. Tony stepped through first followed by Tim, their weapons at the ready. Both stopped just inside, lowering their weapons. Before them was Daniel Welker sitting in a wooden chair bound by wrists and ankles with a gag in his mouth. The chair was tied to the center pole of the barn.

Tony pulled his cellphone out, dialing. "Yeah…boss…found Welker."

Tim holstered his weapon. "And alive."

Welker shuddered, lifting his head weakly. Tim moved forward to begin the task of releasing Daniel Welker from his bindings. Tony walked forward, sliding his phone into a pocket.

"Boss is on his way over." Tony eyed Welker. "He's brought some supplies in case Welker was left for dead."

"Good idea." Tim got the wrists loosened. "He's barely alive."

**Chapter Thirteen**

Danny Welker sat across from Ziva at the conference table waiting for Dr. Hature to complete her examination of him, dressed in surgical greens borrowed from Autopsy. A large bottle of water, half drunk, and a large salad mostly eaten were set before him on the table. Checking each eye, Hach found nothing else to indicate that he would not make a full recovery. Standing, she faced Agent Gibbs standing at the door with a coffee in his hand.

"He has a concussion from whoever hit him over the head. Other than the dehydration and mild starvation, he should recover completely." Hach glanced over at Ziva. "I will ask his wife to keep an eye on him. He should take it easy for the next few days. No drugs of any kind."

Gibbs nodded then moved to allow Dr. Hature to leave the room.

"Mr. Welker, we need to ask you a few questions." Ziva opened the file on the table in front of her. "Once we're done, you can go home."

"My wife?" Daniel inquired.

Ziva responded. "She's on her way here now."

Gibbs sat down next to Daniel Welker with a purpose. "Where were you when you were taken?"

He paused before answering. "Heading to the car…at the hotel. I'd already checked in and scoped out the room." Daniel picked up and drank deeply from the uncapped water bottle. "Sorry, thirsty."

Gibbs eyed the younger man. "Take your time."

Taking another long drink, Welker continued. "I like to check in and get a feel of the room before I get my stuff." He shrugged suddenly self-conscious. "It's part of my routine, you see. I remember getting to the trunk, opening it, next thing I know…bam." Daniel placed a hand at the back of his head. "I black out and wake up in the barn."

"So you never made the drive out to Virginia?"

Daniel frowned shaking his head. "No…I was getting my luggage from the car to take to my room at the hotel. I remember that very clearly."

Ziva knew she would have to ask this question. "How did your car end up in front of Director Vance's house?"

He frowned at the agent woman then looked to Agent Gibbs who nodded. "Leon's house?'

Ziva lifted her eyes surprised at the casual response. "You know Director Vance personally?"

"Met him a few times, yes." Danny shrugged. "Military functions, technology demonstrations, that sort of thing. I don't think he liked me very much the first time we met. He's kind of a curt guy. After a few functions, we started talking sports."

Gibbs said nothing to that and informed Daniel Welker. "Your car was left burning in front of Director Vance's house, Mr. Welker. Any idea why?"

"Burning you say?" He was alarmed but not freaked out. "Not for anything I can think of." Danny winced from the pain caused by the concussion. "Unless someone's trying to make a statement… But why use my car?"

"Whoever knocked you out could've transported you to the farm using your vehicle." Gibbs offered an avenue of explanation. "Then left it burning in front of Vance's house."

He thought about the idea for a moment and shrugged, clearly incapable of a rational thought. "I guess they could've taken me to the farm and returned to DC with it." Danny appeared more frazzled than afraid. "I couldn't tell you, I woke up after I got to the farm. I was already tied to the post by then." He blinked rapidly several times. "It was really burned?"

Ziva nodded. "To a crisp."

"Why burn the car?" Danny leaned forward. "It was a piece of crap."

Ziva refrained from smiling openly. "Your wife mentioned you had someone you were going to meet?"

"I was going to but the guy never called me once I got to New Jersey." Danny sighed, obviously disappointed. "I thought he bailed initially so I didn't think twice about it. Maybe he couldn't get away. He works for Global Technologies. I was trying to get into their annual technology showcase they have around March 15th. They're the last ones to host for the season. It's the who's who of the industry and difficult to get in unless you know someone."

Gibbs kept his voice even. "Name?"

"Oh, yeah, sorry, I should've given you the name first." He paused for a second then remembered. "Blake Elton. He's in their tech department, I think. He preferred me to keep his name out of our conversations. Like he was afraid of someone finding out he was talking to me or something."

Gibbs looked to Ziva. "Thank you." He gathered his notes and file.

Ziva added. "When your wife arrives, we'll have Dr. Hature make sure you have everything you need." She smiled softly. "If we have any more questions, we'd like to…"

"I'll keep myself available." Danny nodded, pointing to his head. "I won't be going very far anyway."

Gibbs nodded then he looked to Ziva. She knew what to do. They would wait until anything surfaced to question Welker again. If he did have a concussion, the pain would need to subside.

**Chapter Fourteen**

By the time Ziva and Gibbs reached the Squad Room, Tim already had Blake Elton's information up on the plasma screen from financials, education, to family. There was little else to go on judging from the limited information Tim McGee gathered within the ten minutes since Danny Welker was sent home with his wife.

"Blake Elton works as a lowly administrator for Global Technologies. He's not a tech like Welker thought." Tony clicked the screen over. "According to Global, he's not even tech rated."

"He wanted Welker to think he was though." Ziva offered. "What did Welker have that Elton didn't?"

"Contacts." Gibbs inserted. "Marketing types work the crowds at functions networking."

Tony, Ziva, and Tim exchanged quick glances not realizing Gibbs paid attention on occasion.

"Global Technologies operates two plants in the United States, one in Europe, and one in South America." Tim scrolled through Global Technologies information. "They did 340 million in weapon system sales last year alone. Mostly government contracts with the various countries around the world."

"Went to Harvard, graduated top of his class in computer engineering." Tony squinted at the screen. "And he's a secretary?"

"Everyone wants into Global Technologies these days." Ziva reasoned out loud after reading a bit about the company. "If they're the top makers of weapon control systems and data analysis in the world…even the new graduates have to take an administrator position to get a foot in the door."

"Where's he now?" Gibbs wanted to know.

Tim glanced at his screen. "Says here he took a few days off for a training conference specializing in systems diagnostic and troubleshooting." His fingers tapped away at his keyboard. "Hilton, downtown San Francisco."

"That sound like a lowly administrator to you?" Tony asked anyone present.

Tim thought about it. "I doubt he's got an administrator job. He's a plant."

Ziva looked to Tim. "Plant?"

Tim nodded. "Elton's a company ploy. I've seen it happen to my friends after college. They get hired into a company at the bottom. Then one guy just seems to know everything but works in the mailroom. Next thing you know, all the secrets the company's been keeping suddenly become public knowledge."

"Insider trading?" Ziva was lost.

"He's talking about corporate espionage, Ziva." Tony corrected. "It's a cut throat business these days, especially where military contracts are concerned. Lots of money involved in government contracts."

"Elton's due back tomorrow." Tim found the airline reservation. "You want him picked up, boss?"

"Yeah." Gibbs responded. "Find out if he's paying for the training himself."

He had his own idea to track down.

**Chapter Fifteen**

Tony and Ziva returned to the Navy Yard with Mr. Elton in custody the next day. Blake Elton was not happy for the reception at the airport upon his return to DC since they met him at the gate rather than baggage claim. For several moments, he became a celebrity when he was escorted from the gate by two persons were badges and guns. Exiting the elevator at NCIS, he appeared tired from his conference and looked around the Squad Room with awe as they guided him towards the interrogation rooms. Planted in Interrogation Room One, Blake Elton was left to simmer for thirty minutes before Tony entered the room and settled into the chair in front of the window with a file in his hand.

Blake eyed the agent who seemed to enjoy destroying his return home. "Why am I here again?"

Tony set the thin file folder on the table in front of him. "Daniel Welker."

"Welker?" Blake frowned at the name. "What about him?"

Tony eyed Blake Elton for minute facial expressions. "You were supposed to meet with him this weekend?"

"Yeah, until I got a chance to go to the conference I've been waiting six months to get into. Waiting list." Blake suddenly got nervous. "Met Danny at the Admiral's Ball back in December of last year. I went with one of the VP's whose date cancelled last minute. I was the last guy at the office and got suckered into it."

"I bet." Tony didn't believe a word of it.

Blake yawned. "Anyway, we had lunch once to get to know one another. Seems he's more into marketing than technology. Danny's been on my ass to get tickets to our annual showcase coming up next month. Once I got the chance to go to San Francisco, I blew him off."

Tony didn't think Blake Elton had much to offer on Daniel Welker. "Do you know who might've wanted to hurt, Mr. Welker?"

"Hurt?" Blake suddenly became concerned. "He's hurt?"

"Someone clunked him on the head, dumped him into his trunk." Tony watched Blake's face closely. "And tied him to a post out on a Virginia farm."

Blake sighed in relief. "He's alive right?"

"Barely." Tony didn't want Blake to think he got away without nearly killing someone.

"Whoa…here I just thought the guy was annoying." Blake breathed a sigh of relief. "At least he's alive." Then he caved. "I wasn't going to call him." Blake ran his hand through his hair. "Here's the thing, I wasn't able to get tickets for anyone, including myself for this year's showcase. These days, only the VIPs get them."

Tony lifted an eyebrow. "VIPs?"

Blake let his hands fall to the desk. "They've become the hottest tickets in town these last two years. Global's got some crack techs working on some new weapon's guidance system. Very hush hush."

"That's why everyone knows about it?" Tony asked.

Blake nodded. "That's part of the business, Agent DiNozzo. Companies like Global leak their own technology information out into the world just to see what kind of buss it'll generate. There's been a buzz around Global and the possibility of a release for the last six months. Anyone who's anyone in the military world is waiting on pins and needles for this technology to finally be unveiled."

"What's so great about it?" Tony leaned back in his chair.

"Global is the elite among the elite in up and coming military technology. They're the genius brains that program the bombs to be smart-bombs these days." Blake got very excited, his eyes sparkled and his but seemed to wiggle in his chair. "Are you kidding?! Global's working on weapons programming that can be used in any device and controlled from a simple encrypted tablet or smartphone." Blake leaned back, slid both hand through his hair. "This will blow the competition away! Even if other companies create the weapon's, this program will control everything. Hell, they can connect to any military database in the world. Global will corner the market and send their competitors to the welfare line."

"Sounds cut throat." Tony folded his arms across the table.

"It is, man!" Blake rubbed his eyes. "Global Technologies has more security surrounding their labs than Fort Knox. Guys like Welker want to make the connections with the VIPs at these gigs. But these days, the military gets jumpy when contractors have loose fingers with cutting-edge technology."

"Did Welker name anyone he might have come in contact with over the last few months from Global other than you?"

"No…our relationship wasn't like that…Daniel was the kind of guy to keep any contacts he did have to himself." Blake sighed disappointed. "With his ability to get into elite parties all over DC, I was hoping maybe to cash in for myself on some of his connections."

Tony tapped the top of the table with both index fingers. "Sounds like he's got a network."

"I'm sure he does." Blake sighed again. "But he wasn't sharing it since I started talking to the guy."

Tony lifted the note from the top of his file. "Let me throw a name out here for you Blake. See if you recognize it." Only because he was curious.

"Okay…shoot." Blake sat with his shoulders dropped.

"Dr. Guinevere Hature." Tony saw the perceptible twitch in Blake's chin.

Elton's back straightened then leaned forward in his chair, resting on his elbows and set his chin in his hands. "Global's top tech on the OS MP2-468 project…" Blake folded his hands and whispered. "Her skills are legendary. She doesn't physically work at Global though. Not that I've seen anyway."

"Does she work out of an undisclosed location?"

Blake shook his head. "No one knows, at least from what I've found out since I started." He shrugged. "I don't make direct inquiries. I listen to the rumors and look out for any clues. She's the one person everyone in the building wants to have lunch with these days. But she comes and goes on her own schedule."

Tony knew Gibbs wasn't going to like this.

**Chapter Sixteen**

Leon Vance eyed Jethro Gibbs across his desk. This was the second time in a day he had his best agent in his office updating him on the progress of the case. Not that there was much to go on with Daniel Welker. If it was a case of corporate espionage, then NCIS could pass it over to another agency.

Vance rose behind his desk. "You think Dr. Hature's involved with this, Gibbs?"

"Hard to tell, Leon." Gibbs didn't know how to respond other than with information he already knew about though it wouldn't make the NCIS Director happy. "I know she's good with programming…and computers." But there was something Hature wasn't telling them about her extracurricular activities. "She uses a mediator."

Leon knew Hature had more ways out of a mess than Congress did on Capitol Hill. "Always covers her ass."

"And does it well." Gibbs shrugged agreeing silently then smirked. "Dr. Hature seems to have all of her bases covered."

Leon sighed. "Which makes me suspicious of her."

"What do you know about her, sir?"

"She's the best in the world at what she does, Gibbs." Leon turned from Gibbs wondering if he was right about getting Hature in DC. "Her use of a mediator maintains her agreement with NCIS. My predecessor made her Director of Forensics for a reason."

"Your predecessor say why, Leon?"

"No." Leon turned to Gibbs. "There was a lot Director Shepard left no record about that I'm still sifting through even to this day. Despite making Dr. Hature the Director of Forensics at NCIS, she could never get the good doctor to transfer to the Navy Yard. What's your take on her, Gibbs?"

Gibbs knew what Leon wanted. "I don't think she's a security risk." He paused on purpose since he wasn't exactly sure about everything regarding the mysterious doctor. "But she does wander around NCIS unchecked."

"Not my call." Leon sighed knowing Dr. Hature's legacy started long before he became director.

"Sec Nav?" Gibbs suspected this a long time ago.

"She has a lot of leeway because she keeps our labs supplied with the latest and greatest in forensic technologies." Leon pushed his hands into his pockets. "With our budget constraints, that keeps Congress happy since they don't have to dish out any extra funds. And with her ties to 34 companies that deal strictly with the military means she has friends on Capitol Hill that go up the food chain all the way to the White House. Not to mention she's a good friend to at least fifteen foreign governments, many of which swear to love what she's done for them in the past." Leon didn't like the situation any more than Gibbs did with Dr. Hature. "Bottom line…she's well known and highly respected to every boss above our pay grade."

"You mean she's protected." Gibbs knew little of Dr. Hature's ties to the capitol though her connections were not unexpected with her level of abilities. "And she's aware of it."

"Agreed." Leon eyed Gibbs. "I can't say she's arrogant about her connections in DC." Leon was suspicious about Hach regardless of her record. "And not a hint that she's gotten her hands dirty."

"She avoids any conversation…"

"You're not exactly an expert conversationalist, Gibbs." Leon wondered exactly what Agent Gibbs was not telling him. "Keep an eye on her. If she's dealing outside of NCIS, I want to know about it."

So Vance finally revealed his true agenda.

But would he be able to find anything on the doctor without her knowing about it? McGee and Abby were already attached to the woman through their specialized computer skills…stuff. Ziva seemed to be warming up to her fast though she wasn't as trusting as Abby about it. Ducky was enjoying his time with her in order to understand her mind. Jimmy Palmer seemed terrified of her lately. And Tony was the only one on his team who wasn't fascinated by Dr. Hature's level of intelligence. What did a person need with four PhD's and an MD anyway?

Gibbs left the director's office with a simple understanding that Dr. Hature was under surveillance for the time being by him. Leon knew more than he let on and refused to share. If he didn't find out Hature's agenda soon, she would tear his team apart. As if he didn't have enough to do dealing with the L-12.

**Chapter Seventeen**

Tony eyed the door on the floor above him for any indications that the boss' meeting with the Director was over. Gibbs wouldn't take long to explain their progress on the case and should be emerging soon. Vance and Gibbs shared a silent understanding. Must be some code he didn't have security clearance for yet. He wondered just how much discussion took place. Gibbs left the director's office with a solemn expression.

Judging his pace towards the elevator, Gibbs would arrive at the Squad Room within a minute. The elevator closest to the director's office went to the labs and Autopsy. Tony took the risk that Gibbs was babying his knee again and went to meet the elevator. The doors opened as he arrived.

"No fingerprints, no footprints, and the only car treads belonged to his car." Tony knew Gibbs wouldn't be happy that everything they worked to collected resulting in nothing. "Whoever took Daniel Welker knew how to cover their tracks. Not even a hair, boss." Gibbs remained silent knowing the farm yielded no forensic evidence so Tony continued. "Long briefing with the Director, boss?"

"Yeah." Gibbs wondered exactly what Leon wanted from him.

"Little Doc?" Tony wondered when that subject would be breeched for internal discussion.

"In a sense." His mind wondered a number of things, none of which he was about to explain without more evidence.

He didn't miss much where Gibbs was concerned. "Vance asked you to keep an eye on her?"

Tony wondered exactly what Leon Vance wanted with Dr. Guinevere Hature. Sure there were plenty of people who distrusted someone as intelligent as the good doctor. But, plenty of higher ups wanted to know whose side she was on these days. Hach wasn't known for being a team player when involved outside of the forensics laboratory.

"And then some." Gibbs paused near his desk. "Where are we with Welker's connections?"

"Not much to go on." Tony knew they were missing something. "Tim's looking into the conference in San Francisco. He's the only one who can decipher geek-speak."

They passed Ziva sitting at her desk on the phone. Her expression was one of fascination yet consternation. Tony eyed Ziva curious as to what she was finding out. Returning his attention to Gibbs, Tony found a photo of Blake Elton on the plasma.

Ziva placed the phone back on the receiver. "Gibbs…" She got up to join them by the plasma. "I just got off the phone with LAPD. According to Detective Schuyler, Blake Elton's been dead for almost six months."

"What?" Tony turned towards her.

"Yes." Ziva felt odd that their link to Welker turned out to be a dead guy. "He's sending his files within the next hour. He was out in LA at a conference when he was killed in a vehicle accident on Interstate 10. He was pronounced dead at the scene and later sent home to Iowa at the family's request."

"Which leaves the question…" Tony looked at the plasma screen. "Who's the guy I interviewed pretending to be Blake Elton then?"

That was the million dollar question.

**Chapter Eighteen**

Hach didn't like the look on Agent Gibbs' face when he came around the corner near Forensics. His hand found its way under her elbow, guiding her towards a foyer into one of the smaller laboratories on this level of NCIS. Hach knew it would be better to get the confrontation over with than attempt to avoid him.

"Welker wanted into Global." Gibbs placed a hand on the wall of the elevator. "Why?"

"Why not?" Hach would never understand Gibbs' apparent anger towards her, if she was reading his expression correctly. "Global Technologies posted billion dollar profits first quarter. They are one of the sixteen companies that supply the military with their technology. Emerging technology is always a sure bet in the stock market when any announcement is made public." Hach frowned then looked up at Gibbs. "Do you question my ethics or my participation?"

Gibbs held her gaze for several moments. "How is it you're the Director of NCIS Forensics and work for other companies?"

"I am not listed as an employee of Global Technologies, Agent Gibbs." Hach replied evenly, despising that he was capable of making her feel like a school-girl being scolded by a teacher. "Or any of the other companies through which I have become affiliated with over the years. I work through a business mediator for all my extracurricular activities outside NCIS, for which I hold a fair share of stocks. My mediator, Nathan, handles the day-to-day business of my portfolio. I can make Nathan Leschinger available if you wish to talk to him. This is all documented in my file, Agent Gibbs." She gave him a sideways stare. "Surely you would have read it by now."

Gibbs said nothing, keeping his eyes on Hach. Her file was four inches thick, and that was just her NCIS history. She didn't seem to twitch under his stare but she did seem to dislike being close to him. Her eyes darted around the hallway running a security sweep in case their conversation was overheard by unnecessary people before returning to his face.

Hach knew Agent Gibbs did not trust her since she began her tenure at the Navy Yard. Her mysterious dealings outside NCIS gave him enough to be suspicious. Not that she felt she needed his respect or trust. His file indicated that he was a ruthless pursuer of justice and the best investigator NCIS ever had on staff. Clearly, he wanted more from her judging from the blank look on his face and that his blue eyes never left her face. According to Dr, Mallard, he was searching for answers in her facial expressions.

"I do mainly equipment designing and software programming." Abby was right that Gibbs was inscrutable at times. "There is no crime against this nor have I broken any rules here at NCIS." Gibbs remained silent. "Director Vance is aware of all my affiliations."

"Every time I turn around, a company you're involved in crops up in one of my investigations." Gibbs lowered his face to hers. "I have a hard time trusting you, Dr. Hature."

"I have been at NCIS almost as long as you, Agent Gibbs." Hach returned his 'glare' that Abby so precisely described. "Judging my abilities because you cannot comprehend them does not make me a traitor or a mole. Companies like Global are always targets for men like Welker. Unless you have proof linking me to Daniel Welker's abduction, I suggest you bark up another tree, Agent Gibbs." She yanked her arm free and found Gibbs blocking her path. "From now on, if you want information, ask me as a colleague, not as a suspect."

He kept his stance close to the wall, eyeing her slightly upturned face closely. Hach had to push him back with one hand to leave. She missed Gibbs watching her until she rounded the corner in the hall and disappeared.

Out of sight, Hach allowed herself to sigh. Agent Gibbs would not trust her just yet. Director Vance made it clear that he was suspicious of her as well. Though she had no idea what put these suspicions in their heads. Perhaps all of her affiliations were not as well known to Leon Vance as she expected. Her activities outside NCIS were being watched since she joined the Navy Yard, even more so than usual. One thing was clear to her now.

She needed to steer clear of Gibbs and his team.

**Chapter Nineteen**

Abby was giddy as AFIS ran the thumb print from the water glass left by Blake Elton in Interrogation Room One. Blake asked for water after his interview and left the glass on Ziva's desk prior to his departure. It was collected by Tony and sent down to Forensics for verification. Tony didn't gather anything useful from the interview but at least they could rule him out. Strangely, the print hadn't been run through the system yet until they discovered that Blake Elton was an imposter.

"A little longer, my pet." Abby held Bert, squeezing him until he farted, smiling at the impending match. "We shall prevail!" Her voice was resolute. "Rest assured little Bert, no one can pull the wool over our eyes once their secret has been revealed."

Hach looked up from her workstation. "Is there a reason that you insist on squeezing your animal so hard that he replicates flatulence?"

"Helps me think." Abby had become comfortable enough with Hach to not mind them sharing her lab.

She wasn't like the other assistants in her history. From all accounts, Hach wouldn't attack her out of the blue or hold a grudge against her. In fact, it was nice having someone in the lab to talk to who understood her language. The Director of Forensics was a warm-hearted woman beneath her cool exterior. She'd only just begun to scratch the surface of the "Little Doc". Not that Tony thought so despite penning her nickname. He thought she was sent by Director Vance to disrupt and split the team. Still, she knew that Gibbs would've seen Hach for who she truly was more so than the others. At least Tim was on her side.

"I am quite aware of this." Hach approached Abby Sciuto. "You have many odd quirks which aid your ample skills in Forensics."

Abby turned abruptly. "Can I ask you a question?"

Hach smiled shortly and shrugged slightly. "Why not."

"I…I wondered how you manage everything?" Abby often found herself perplexed by how much Dr. Hach accomplished in a day. "Like manage your position here at NCIS, all your gazillions in monies, your home…like life outside NCIS."

Hach decided it would be simpler to be honest. "I have a team of assistants and a head-of-staff that allows me to focus on the more important tasks."

Abby was shocked, squeezing Bert until he let out the happy noise once more. "How do you trust anyone?"

"I know you have had a history of suspect assistants." Hach smiled wider. "Good thing I am no assistant to you, Miss Sciuto. I am more your guardian in the world of Forensics. Nor do I wish any harm to come to you." Hach knew it would take Abby time to work everything out. "Once Norfolk opens, I shall transfer my operations there."

"I'm going to miss you, Hach." Abby wanted to hug the woman but she appeared rather stand-offish at the moment.

"We have worked well together." Hach agreed being in Abby's lab was far more agreeable than her lab at Pearl. "I will miss your warmth and charisma. Alas, I cannot be under foot forever."

"Oh, I don't mind you being under foot!" Abby smiled realizing she sounded a bit over zealous. "In fact, I like you just where you are." She paused and grimaced. "That didn't…come out right."

Hach patted her on the shoulder. "I understand what you meant. However, I must let you get back to work in your own space as soon as possible. Your work with Agent Gibbs and his team is far too important to risk imposing on for too long."

"Don't you like the team?"

"I find your team quite agreeable."

"Even Gibbs?" Abby perked up. "Not everyone…understands him like I do."

"Ah yes, you are his favorite." Hach remembered, receiving a humbled wide smile in silent admission. "Your Agent Gibbs does not appear to trust me at the moment. But then, I suspect it takes him a while to trust someone on his team?" Abby nodded but said nothing so she continued. "I can tell you I do not dislike him."

Abby was flummoxed at first at the revelation and decided not pursue the subject matter any further. Why would Hach decide to tell her this now? It left her with more questions than answers into the mysterious life of Dr. Hature. Still, she was looking forward to 8pm tonight. Checking her watch, it was only three in the afternoon. The day was dragging and her only comfort was finding an identity to a fingerprint to a man who claimed he was Blake Elton.

"Have you decided on where you are going tonight with Charles?" Hach thought a change of subject was in order.

Abby suddenly froze then relaxed. "I figured I'd wing it since nothing's been working out lately."

"I thought so." Hach smirked. "I made reservations for you at Hibris tonight. Would 8pm suit you?"

Abby nearly choked as her mouth gaped. "Hibris?! Are you kidding?!" She was beside herself. "That has, like, a six month waiting list just to get in!"

"Would you prefer I call to cancel?" Hach knew Abby would think better of it.

"No!" Abby seemed unable to connect a sentence together. "No…I mean…yes…" She sighed heavily. "I'll take it!" Then paused at her own sudden paralysis. "Wow, I'm just so off my game today."

"You have been for a while." Hach smiled slightly. "Start with dinner then see where the remainder of the night goes from there."

Hach returned to her workstation to continue working on her own caseload. Abby was beyond shocked, eying Hach as she sat down with an elegance indicative of British royalty. Though she admired the Little Doc and all of her amazing abilities, Tony was right about one thing. Guinevere Hature was far more mysterious than originally thought. How the hell did she get a reservation at DC's hottest restaurant?

TO BE CONTINUED…


	51. Episode 17: The Hulk Part 3

**NCIS Season 9**

**Episode 9.17.3**

**THE HULK**

**By: Lady JenDragon**

**Disclaimer:** The usual.

**Author's Notes: **Read, read, read…

* * *

**The Hulk**

**Chapter Twenty**

Abby got the identity match by seven, just in time to leave for her date. Fleeing around the lab in preparation for the evening, Abby launched into a parade of directions and instructions. Hach was left as the alternate if something came up, not that she minded since there was plenty of time before she headed home to cover for Abby. Since the team knew Abby needed a distraction, no one stopped her on her way through the Squad Room, dropping off Ducky's autopsy report and her preliminary written report.

"Abby matched the fingerprint to one Rinaldo Marin." Tony brought up the photo of the man he interviewed with his true name. "Computer whiz out of Cal Tech. Class of 2000. He's been touring around the technology companies starting on the west coast and moved to the east coast four years ago. He's been making the rounds through all the tech companies."

Tim added. "Stayed almost two years at each company before he moved on to the next one." His fingers flew across the keyboard. "He used his own name for every company with exception to Global Technologies. He wasn't hired under his own name when he interviewed there last year for the same position he was hired under the name Blake Elton."

"Any reason given for why he wasn't hired under his own name?" Gibbs asked over his coffee.

"None." Tim didn't see anything strange that peeked his attention. "There isn't anything that jumps out about this guy."

Tony added. "Brought up by a single Spanish mother, no siblings."

"His financials are clean, nothing out of the ordinary." Tim was concerned that he wouldn't find the link quick enough. "Lives within his salary from Global Technologies." Tim eyed the financials quickly looking for anything out of the ordinary. "He lives in a room-for-rent in Virginia, separate entrance."

"Shannon Doyle, his landlady, says he's a quiet guy, keeps mostly to himself, and is never late with the rent." Tony looked at his notepad filled with scribbled writing. "He goes out a lot on weekends and comes home late on Fridays and Saturdays. Apparently she's up at all hours of the night these days spying on her tenants." Tony winced at the idea of his landlord keeping track of his schedule. "She's worse than a mother!"

"Nothing unusual about his credit cards." Tim looked through a multitude of records. "If he's a corporate plant, I'm not finding any evidence to support it."

"Other than taking a deadman's identity, McGee." Gibbs reminded Tim.

Hach spoke from directly behind Tony DiNozzo. "His name."

Tony yelped before jumping away from her. "Don't do that, little one!" He patted her on the head…finding her chilled gaze upon him, pulling his hand back as if from a hungry wolf. "Sorry."

"Do you always scream like a girl, Agent DiNozzo?" Hach asked softly.

Tony's back straightened suddenly insulted. "I do not scream like a girl."

"Sounded like it to me." Hach eyed DiNozzo.

Tim and Gibbs both softly laughed at the moment.

"Why are you here, doc?!" Tony allowed his annoyance to show.

"Mr. Marin would not have been hired by Global if they could track his employment history. Someone who moves around every two years is not considered a viable asset. His computer skills were excellent but Global worried that he could be a security risk."

"Blake Elton has a better employment history than Rinaldo Marin?" Tim wanted to know.

"Simply, yes." Hach glanced at Tony then to McGee. "Elton's history implies dedication, someone who is not looking to move around. Global Technologies looks for employees who are intent on staying long term. There is too much at stake to trust in the hands of employees who only care about how much they get paid versus the importance of the work they do."

Gibbs walked towards Dr. Hature. "How do you know this?"

"I made a call to HR of Global this morning and inquired as to whether a Mr. Rinaldo Marin was interviewed recently." Hach looked to Gibbs. "I just received their response ten minutes ago. They are sending his interview file to NCIS by 9pm this evening to help you with your investigation."

"I guess there's a reason to keep you around after all." Tony folded his arms, still miffed from the scream comment.

Hach smirked at DiNozzo as she left. "A number of reasons, yes…" She smiled before leaving. "…little screamer."

Tony's mouth gaped as Tim burst out laughing. He frowned, scrunching his face into a pout. His shoulders hunched, Tony went to sit at his desk. That was it, he was done for the night.

**Chapter Twenty-One**

The evening appeared to be warming up this spring night. Ducky checked his watch as he waited at the front entrance to NCIS, his Morgan humming softly. He wondered how much longer he would have to wait for Hach to emerge from NCIS. She asked him to wait so she could relay some information before leaving. At last, Hach appeared exiting the building. He leaned over to open the door for her.

"Thank you, doctor." Hach slid into the seat. "Global HR returned my call last minute. I informed Agent Gibbs and his team of the findings."

Ducky was quite aware of the case despite not hanging out in the Squad Room. "Oh, our mystery imposter finally has a name it seems." He pulled the car away from the curb heading towards the main gate.

"Yes, Rinaldo Marin, Spanish American." Hach relaxed against the comfort of Ducky's Morgan passenger seat. "He attempted to get hired at Global under his own name and was unsuccessful. He waited two months before re-interviewing under the name Blake Elton."

"I'm to understand his name prevented his hiring?"

"Yes." Hach replied evenly. "I hear that 'Heavenly' is reportedly an excellent restaurant."

"And incredibly difficult to get into these days." Ducky was thankful for Hach to give him some new adventures in experiencing cuisine. "However did you manage to get a reservation?"

"I know the owner personally." Hach left out that she also gave the owner the money to set up his restaurant in the beginning. "And there was a last minute cancellation. I do say it has worked in our favor, doctor."

"How lucky for us indeed." Ducky knew there was something she was not telling him about this evening.

"I agree." Hach eyed the passing cityscape. "Heavenly is reported to have an excellent menu with an even better wine cellar."

"Nothing more perfect than an evening with good food and pleasant company."

"I could not agree more, doctor." Hach liked spending time with Dr. Mallard.

He was a quiet man with enough history with a few hidden secrets not even Dr. Mallard would ever utter a word again. His NCIS records were quite detailed and followed a spectacular history that spanned the globe. He had experiences she would never have in her lifetime.

He smirked. "Please call me Ducky, Hach."

Hach knew Ducky would be fishing for information. "Forgive me, I find it difficult to break old habits."

Whether he shared this information with Agent Gibbs or Director Vance was another matter. Dr. Mallard was person of integrity, with a caring soul for his colleagues, friends and family. She found him to be a highly respectable man even if he was looking for answers.

Ducky was quite aware Hach was aware of his interest on a professional level. "You keep people at arm's length for a reason, don't you?"

"Yes." Hach readily agreed. "It is for their safety. Someone in my position must keep their friends close and their enemies closer."

"Makes it difficult to trust someone." Ducky noticed her nod out of the corner of his eye but she said nothing more. He decided that now was the time to change the subject. "Have I ever told you of my experiences in the Galapagos Islands?"

"Indeed you have not." Hach was looking forward to his stories. "You seem to have visited every corner of the planet."

Anyone who could keep the center of attention off her over the course of a few hours, all the better for her. Hach disliked discussing her past. In fact, she often avoided discussing herself at all, which made going to parties highly annoying and avoidable whenever possible.

"It does seem like I have." Ducky admitted. "Let me see, where shall I start?"

Hach smiled, enjoying her evening with Dr. Mallard.

**Chapter Twenty-Two**

The next morning, McGee was first in the office, tracing the BOLO they placed out on Rinaldo Marin aka Blake Elton. Sitting back in his chair, even his hands didn't want to hover over the keyboard in anticipation. So far, no hits had come back yet on the BOLO. He checked four times since he arrived in vague hope of redemption. Now Tim felt at a loss about the next step. Something bothered him though he couldn't place a finger on why, at least not yet anyway. He hoped in time this gut-feeling would reveal itself.

"Where the hell are you?" McGee whispered at his computer screen.

Tony walked off the elevator at the moment eyeing Tim at his desk appearing lost. Apparently Timmy hadn't heard the ding of the elevator signaling his arrival. This was good. It wasn't unusual for Timmy to be stuck in his own little world. He expected this kind of behavior from one so attuned to electronic devices. Still, the expression on Tim's face did worry him just a little bit. Still, why let his junior agent know that minor detail?

"Looking for an extra bone in your bonus, McEarly?" He smiled sarcastically as he dropped his bag behind his desk chair on the floor and sat down in his chair.

Tim looked over at Tony from his desk. "Something's bothering me about Rinaldo Marin, er, Blake Elton." He shook his head seemingly frozen in thought at trying to figure it out. "I can't get it out of my mind."

"You've always been out of your mind." Tony smirked at him. "So what's caught up in the circuitry, McGeekster?"

Tim decided to let Tony's usual morning quips slide by. "If Blake Elton's running…why isn't he easier to track?"

Tony appeared thoughtful. "He's a computer genius like you. What you should be asking is…what mad skills does he have that you lack, McSecond?"

"He fails at getting a job using his own name, fine." Tim knew how it felt to lose out on a job he really wanted. "But then he goes after the same job using another name he stole from a dead guy and gets the position."

"Yeah…" Tony didn't understand the rationale yet.

"Why use another guy's name?" Tim looked to Tony. "He gains access to these different companies, spends two years there, and moves on. Why? It has to do with more than his employment history." It wasn't very often someone's behavior stumped him. Normally he could figure out psychology but this guy, with the level of programming talent should be making far more with his abilities than he collected every month.

Tony perked up. "There's a motive in his pattern?"

"Yeah…but I'm not seeing it…yet." Tim nodded, letting a thought begin to form in his mind.

"Patterns?" Tony wondered what was mashing together in McGee's brain to give him an idea these days. "Like prints on furniture?"

Tim ignored Tony mainly because his mind was actively sorting the clues they gather thus far. "You know, you might have something there." His fingers began flying across the keyboard almost in a blur. "The order of the companies he chose to become employed at means something."

**Chapter Twenty-Three**

Tim hadn't left his desk since the idea popped into his head.

"It appears that Rinaldo Marin was working his way up through the corporate ladder." Tim brought up his employment history. "Or so I thought. At first I thought he was looking to go from one company to the next associated with military technology. He wasn't."

Gibbs eyed the pattern on the plasma with wary eyes.

"He's looking for someone, not the technology." Tim smirked that he hadn't thought of this sooner. "When he gets to Global, he fails to get hired under his own name so he goes back under an assumed name. I checked all the employee records from all the companies he worked at from Hawaii to New York and DC. Only one name pops up."

Tony eyed the obvious. "The Little Doc?" Hoping they could bust her at some point.

"She's just one of a few thousand he's been tracking." Tim nodded, feeling thrilled that he stumbled on the pattern accidently. "It gets better." He brought up another screen that showed bank statements and six checks for amounts between twelve hundred dollars and ten thousand over a twelve mother period. "He's being paid by a head hunter from the Cayman Islands to track down people within the company for which he's hired."

Gibbs added. "The amount is dependent on what he finds."

"That's my thought." Tim nodded in agreement. "The company listed on the checks is located in the Caymans. It's nothing more than a front. The only information I've been able to gather is the address and the bank accounts opened in the company name in the Caymans. We can't touch it or the company's financials."

Tony narrowed his eyes. "Isn't corporate head hunting illegal?"

"Not technically illegal, unless you're the company being scrutinized." Tim highlighted the past twelve years of Rinaldo Marin's statements. "All of these checks were deposited electronically from the Cayman Island account. Since Marin graduated from Cal Tech in 2000, he's been touring the companies all over the US looking for the best of the best in their fields."

Tony added. "He's been sending his reports to someone in the Cayman's and getting his check."

"And he's damn good at covering his tracks." Tim admitted. "No one's caught onto his pattern as of yet."

"What about the interview file on Rinaldo Marin from Global?" Gibbs inquired.

Ziva arrived in the Squad Room and stepped to her desk dropping a brown paper bag on top. "Marin answered everything correctly, even excelling at the question portion of the interview. He demonstrated extensive knowledge on computers and encryption. Global clearly stated that his work history was the reason he wasn't hired."

Gibbs wanted to know. "Global using a head hunter to keep track of perspective employees?"

Ziva shook her head. "No. They've been using electronic files through their human resources department only. It seems Marin didn't think that kind of employment history would come back to bite him in the arm."

"Ass, Ziva." Tony corrected her. "Bite him in the ass."

"Either way, he didn't get hired." Ziva glared at Tony and continued. "Under the name Blake Elton, he was pushed through to the second and third interview rounds simply based on his employment history and his skills. He got the job because his skills were the best out of the group of candidates."

"Got motive, boss." Tony made a connection. "Daniel Welker finds out Blake Elton's dead, Rinaldo Marin knocks him out and takes him off to the farm in Virginia to keep him quiet."

"He was at a conference in San Francisco at the time." Tim reminded everyone bringing up the evidence he was able to find on screen. "On his own dime too. While working at Global, he was still being paid by the head hunters out of the Caymans. Probably networking to gain access to other companies associated with Global. He can find access codes, employee lists, or most likely, have access to direct military contacts."

"There are a lot of companies out there who'd pay for a network like that." Ziva folded her arms.

"Problem is, Marin didn't meet with Welker." Gibbs turned towards his desk. "He's a head hunter, not a kidnapper. Look at the attendees of the conference Welker was attending, McGee. DiNozzo, compare Marin's phone records with Welker's. Ziva, track down anyone who might have seen Welker at the conference in Jersey."

Tony, Tim, and Ziva turned and sprang into action.

For the moment they were back to square one.

Gibbs knew the answer lay within the information they already obtained. Who was threatened by Daniel Welker enough to warrant knocking him out and hauling him off to a farm in rural Virginia? Clearly killing him wasn't the intention. Finding Daniel Welker alive was proof of that motive.

**Chapter Twenty-Four**

Abby bounced around her lab in good spirits this morning. She took to making noises overly loud when not necessary. Hach looked up from her computer realizing that Miss Sciuto was attempting to attract her attention.

Hach realized her manners were lacking. "How did your evening go last night?"

Abby turned and immediately bee-lined to her. "I'd thought you'd never ask!" A wide smile spread across her bright red lips. "Spectacular! Thank you so much for getting us a reservation at Hibris. The food was exceptional and the wine…wow! What a collection!" Abby turned serious. "But I didn't expect it to be free though."

Hach shrugged her puppy-dog eyes off. "It was the least I could do for a friend in need of an evening out."

Abby hugged her without warning. Unable to breathe or do anything else for that matter, Hach froze where she sat. After a moment, Hach smiled and patted Abby on the shoulder. Eventually Abby let her go.

"Charles was totally impressed with the whole evening!" Abby felt overly exhilarated to have spent an entire night with someone who couldn't speak a word. "We went to the promenade afterwards and walked around. He's quite a gentleman that Mr. Deveux."

Hach could not help but smile. "I should hope so."

A well-dressed man beside a "Goth" woman would have been a sight to see out on the town in Georgetown. Not that Abby Sciuto saw herself as "Goth". But, it was well worth the effort to give Abby something else to think about besides work. The L-12 had taken its toll on Agent Gibbs' team. Her evenings with Dr. Mallard were always enjoyable and helped offset the boredom of day-to-day management tasks. Eating with someone was far more pleasant than eating alone, especially those without an agenda of their own. Gibbs' team would be suspicious about her, everyone in NCIS was since she was hired at eighteen, but there was more to their friendship she never expected.

There was a loud traffic accident in the background that neither woman paused to note.

"Shame they didn't find anything at the farm besides the tire tread." Abby needed something else to do besides wait for evidence to come in on the Welker case.

"Agreed." Hach shook her head slightly. "The tire tread belonged to Daniel Welker's vehicle."

"Looks like they're pursuing a new avenue of inquiry after all." Abby heard the beep to her email in-box receiving something. "Sounds like Tim sent me something." Abby turned towards her workstation. "This should be good."

"Better than doing nothing." Hach spoke after Abby who seemed to have forgotten her already.

A smile formed on her lips, finding Abby Sciuto a refreshing change from the usual hum-drum of a forensic lab analyst. She returned to the email she was writing to NCIS Pearl Harbor regarding a recently short-circuited mass spectrometer though she didn't quite believe their reasons for the short in the first place. However, as director of Forensics, it was her purpose to replace what was broken as long as it was within budget. Keeping NCIS stocked with working equipment appeared to be a momentous task lately. Since The Reaper destroyed her lab, she was stuck at the Navy Yard until it was rebuilt.

**Chapter Twenty-Five**

Director Vance allowed the New Jersey Police Department to collect the evidence from Welker's hotel room. It would've taken too long for Gibbs and his team to reach New Jersey despite his protests. Since the local evidence lab was backed up, NJPD offered to send everything to NCIS Navy Yard due to Welker's car being found in front of Director Vance's residence. It had been more than thirty-six hours since Welker was reported missing and found at a rural Virginia farm.

"I knew we should've gone up to New Jersey to collect the evidence." Tony quipped at the evidence chain-of-custody sent ahead via email. "They have very little to go on."

"It would've taken us eight hours to get there anyway." She shrugged happy they didn't have to make the drive. "Besides, they're sent us everything they got." Ziva replied from her desk. "It's on its way to Abby now."

"I'm looking through the security video now at the conference check-in desk." Tim had been tagging faces and running a search of the attendee list sent by the conference. "Abby's going through the training conference in San Francisco."

"I doubt we'll find anything." Tony slammed his index finger down on the enter button to send the email. "Local LEO's indicate there's no video in the parking garage. No cameras were installed at the time the hotel and conference center opened for business either."

Ziva looked around then lowered her voice. "You don't think this has anything to do with the L-12…do you?"

Tony and Tim stopped what they were doing to look over at Ziva. Neither spoke for several moments. She could see the wheels turning, knowing that flicker of recognition that her question had already crossed their minds. No one wanted this case to be related. Not in this office.

Tony shook his head. "Not yet. I'm sure Gibbs is wondering about it as well." He sighed letting his shoulder drop. "If Marin's gathering names of potential targets within companies, there could be a chance someone's willing to go to great lengths to get rid of the competition."

"We're talking about a guy who collects names and moves on." Tim frowned at the thought of this leading to the L-12. "Whoever he works for could be selling to the highest bidder for the intel. It's not the first time information's been sold on the black market."

"But why gather the data?" Ziva found no usefulness in the information alone.

Tim or Tony didn't have an answer either.

**Chapter Twenty-Six**

The image was frozen on her screen of the man calling himself Blake Elton sitting with a group of men at the conference. The time stamp indicated that the photo was taken on the day Daniel Welker was kidnapped from his hotel. Abby blinked several times before she realized why she stopped.

"Are you seeing this?" Abby asked Hach point blank.

"I am not paying attention to what you are doing, Miss Sciuto…I mean Abby." Hach did not want to put Abby in a bad mood since she was currently riding a "high" in her life. "Exactly what do you require?"

"I need another set of eyes." Abby waved her over.

Reluctantly, Hach slid off her stool and walked over to aid Abby. Her eyes set on the photo finding Blake Elton was where he said he was during the weekend in question.

"And your problem would be?" Hach eyed the time and date stamps.

Abby pointed to someone behind Blake Elton. "That."

"He does look familiar." Hach wondered where she had seen him before but the name would not manifest itself.

"His name is Randal Clemens. He works for Global as the Marketing Manager in the Emerging Technology Department." Abby brought up the employee list for Global Technologies. "I find it really strange that Clemens is sent to attend the training conference and the fake Elton isn't, despite his lowly title of administrator."

Hach knew Abby had a point and asked simply. "Are you implying Mr. Clemens is out of place at this conference?"

"Yes!" Abby pumped a fisted hand. "Thank you! Clemens is a manager at Global, not a programmer. What's he doing there?"

Hach narrowed her eyes slightly since Abby liked to play guessing games. "You believe he might be a contact for this fake Elton person?"

Abby formed an "O" with her lips. "I hadn't thought of that." She turned and ran out of the Forensics lab using small running steps.

Hach shook her head. "I do not understand her sometimes."

She was baffled why Abby left at such a fast pace when she could use a phone just as easily. Shaking her head, Hach returned to her workstation.

**Chapter Twenty-Seven**

Gibbs exited the elevator in time to find Randal Clemens name up on the plasma screen. He read Clemens employee badge ID with Global Technologies. Another person-of-interest was good. He also noted Abby was standing with Tim, Tony and Ziva, their backs to him.

"Something's fishy with this guy." Abby folded her arms standing next to Tim McGee.

None of the four realized Gibbs was standing there.

"He took personal time off from Global to attend." Tim brought up the requested documents from Global. "According to what Global sent me, it looks like he submitted his expenses under a false project number to cover the cost of attending the conference."

"That's a big no-no." Tony hated guys who claimed false expenses. Maybe because he was never able to get away with it? He shrugged it off and glanced at Tim.

Tim smirked and continued. "Global shows him on the west coast for vacation, not training. However, he went to LA afterwards for a meeting with a new client. They thought he took a few extra days to prepare for the meeting so no one questioned his days-off request or his expense report."

Ziva agreed it was a good cover. "New clients require wining and dining. What better way to slip in a conference knowing no one would question him?"

Tony looked to Tim. "Find Randal Clemens yet, McAtlas?"

"Supposedly he's here in DC." Tim hadn't been able to track the man's phone since Abby alerted Randal Clemens to the team. "His phone's been turned off since last night."

"He's not at Global either." Ziva turned to Abby. "I called. He took a sick day today."

"Find him." Gibbs said from behind, making all four jump. "Now."

**Chapter Twenty-Eight**

Tim and Ziva walked up to the front porch of the small quaint home on a quiet suburban street. There were no cars parked on the street this afternoon and no one seemed to be lurking around. Strange, there were no obvious neighborhood spies keeping track of the street when they arrived. Neither agent rushed the walk up to the front porch.

Ziva eyed the small green house warily. "Looks like no one's home."

Tim nodded he agreed with her assessment. "His car's missing too."

Ziva peeked in the window finding nothing out of the ordinary inside. Any indicators of a struggle or broken objects would give them probable cause to break-in the door. Dissatisfied with their progress, Ziva nodded with her head to go to the backyard.

It took a few minutes to get through the side gate and into the backyard. Rounding the corner of the house, they found the patio table on its side. Cautiously, they focused on the back door. Pulling their weapons, they found the backdoor hanging wide open.

"This isn't good." Tim whispered as they took positions on either side of the door.

Ziva nodded she was going to move in first. "NCIS!" She burst through the open door.

Nothing greeted them. The house remained silent. Ziva went left though the kitchen, her weapon at ready. Tim followed her lead, clearing each room, as they went room-by-room through the house. The house was a single story with a basement. Twenty minutes later, they exited the house just as baffled as when they arrived.

"His clothes are gone." Ziva holstered her weapon. "But his computers were left behind."

"Something just doesn't seem right to me either." Tim knew something was amiss. "Abby and I can sift through the computers when we get back to NCIS. I bet they were wiped."

Ziva frowned at Tim. "You think Randal Clemens was just like Blake Elton?"

"No." Tim looked at Ziva. "He's a manager."

Irritated by Tim's lack of the obvious question, Ziva would let it pass this time. "No…a head-hunter. He's the information gatherer type person. The fake Blake's the technology side. Randal's the management equivalent."

Tim only stared at Ziva for the brilliant idea, who stared back at him perplexed.

**Chapter Twenty-Nine**

In the Forensics Lab, Tim and Abby worked side-by-side until the computers were reloaded with the data that was supposed deleted. Tony and Ziva stood side-by-side waiting for the pair to finish up their idea to progress their investigation forward before Gibbs showed up expecting answers.

"You were so right, Ziva!" Abby was in awe of Ziva David this time. "Randal Clemens was another head hunter only in a management position. Apparently they never met until the conference. He figured out that fake Blake was also head hunting. Only the fake Elton had the computer skills to back his information up."

"They're rivals?" Tony wanted to know.

Tim nodded slowly. "Clemens thought he wiped the computers he left behind."

Abby liked it when criminals gave her everything she wanted. "He's very organized here. Names of people, places, companies, addresses, and phone numbers. This guy's got a whole network of contacts."

"Can you trace him back to the Cayman Islands?" Tony thrust his hands into his pockets.

"Not yet." Abby let her fingers do the talking to the computer. "Once we find his real identity, we'll find the paper trail to his accounts."

Ziva wasn't satisfied. "Why did he run?"

"He got made." Tony replied evenly. "One head hunter recognizes another head hunter. He reports it to his boss. Boss might send someone to deal with said rival."

Tim and Abby paused to look at one another.

"They're running from each other." Tony folded his arms. "I love it when head hunters get caught."

"We better find them before they end up at the end of a barrel." Ziva sounded concerned that two murders could take place if they didn't move fast enough.

Tony sighed. "Rope, Ziva." He glanced over his shoulder in case Gibbs silently arrived finding no one there. "End of a rope."

"If they both end up dead…" Abby threw over her shoulder. "Doesn't matter if it's a rope or a barrel."

Ziva nodded in agreement, Tony remained silent. Suddenly there was loud beep in Abby's office. Abby froze in place, her head perking up at the noise. She immediately left Tim's side and ran for her desktop.

"Yes!" Abby cheered. "Someone's turned their phone back on." Sliding to a stop next to her desk, Abby's fingers flew across the keyboard finding the information she needed. With four movements of her hands, she looked up at Tony and Ziva. "Got 'em both! Both phones are on…and they're in the same location!"

"Where?!" Gibbs asked from the glass enclosure.

"I've sent it to your phones!" Abby waved them off.

"Let's go!" Gibbs ordered.

Tony turned first with Tim and Ziva heading out behind Gibbs.

**Chapter Thirty**

The parking deck in the mall would be the perfect backdrop for their confrontation. Elton was planning on leaving his car here for NCIS to find later while he fled the DC area. He kept to the shadows of the upper decks using them as cover. Finding Blake Elton was far easier than he imagined since he left NCIS with the pretense to return to his apartment and flee. Since then, following him had been a cinch. Still, orders were orders.

He emerged from the shadows. "So you've been the one preventing me getting into the system."

Randal Clemens held the 9mm at the fake Blake Elton, his hand steady. He didn't know the guy's real name, nor did he care. His brown hair and graying eyes were firm and unyielding to his inner emotions. These young punks nowadays were always getting in the way.

Blake spun around, his weapon, a 357 magnum in his right hand, pointing at Clemens. "Not bad keeping the information I needed hidden in an external hard-drive separate from the main system and operation programming."

"Once I figured out what you were hacking into the system for, it all made sense."

"You abduct Daniel Welker?" Blake wanted to know.

"Had a friend who needed a job." Clemens shrugged. "The point was to frame you for it. Put you out of commission."

Not one to pass on the chance to brag. "Shame we went to the same conference."

"I had to make other arrangements for that." Clemens smiled shortly.

"So what do we do now, Randal?" He gripped the gun more firmly incase Randal made a move. "If that's even your real name."

"We both have fake names in this business." Randal hated knowing his cover was blown and would take years to vet himself a new one. If he lived long enough to make that happen. "Blake Elton was dead for six weeks before you took his identity."

Neither had the intention to shoot just yet.

Blake inquired. "You knew him personally?"

"Portage Contracting ten years ago." Randal kept his gun trained on the fake Blake Elton. "A bit of a cowboy back then but he simmered down once he got a good challenge in front of him. My boss knows about you."

"As does mine." This would not bode well for either of them.

"NCIS!" Gibbs voice echoed through the parking garage.

Clemens and Elton both turned towards Gibbs flanked by Tony and McGee. Ziva appeared from the stairwell behind the two men, her Sig aimed. Both raised their guns…

Fourteen pops later, Gibbs walked up to Elton and Clemens lying on the floor with three bullets each. Blood was beginning to run downhill from where they lay. Ziva holstered her gun, shocked that a gun fight broke out.

"Why did they try?" Ziva didn't understand the mentality.

Gibbs replied evenly as if stating the obvious. "They were ordered to take each other out." He began walking away from the scene.

Tim finished for Gibbs. "Head hunters don't like competition."

Tony and Tim both nodded in agreement with Gibbs.

"Then why did Clemens burn Welker's car?" Ziva holstered her weapon.

Gibbs replied over his shoulder. "Told Elton he was fired."

"Wanted media attention so he placed it in front of Vance's house." Tony watched Gibbs leave, pulling his phone out to call the proper authorities to the scene. "Problem is…we didn't announce it in the media."

Tim added. "Blake Elton never got the message since he was in California at the time Welker went missing."

Ziva only stared at Tim and Tony.

THE END


End file.
